* UPDATE COMPUTER SYSTEMS *
UPDATE COMPUTER SYSTEMS is Edited and Published by Carol and
Frank Davis of P.0. Box 1095, Peru, Indiana 46970. Phone number
is 317-473-8031, with normal phone hours being between 5 P.M.
and 9:30 P.M. Standard Time during the week and noon to 6 P.M.
on weekends. When we are not there or unavailable, please leave
a message with our answering machine, you'll be ansxvered by mail
* * *
Mailing date for all issues is the twentieth of the issue month.
At times due to Postal Holidays, or the 20th falling on a
weekend (bulk mail not accepted on weekends) they will be
received at the Postal Unit the next business day. Please allow
two to three weeks from this date before assuming your issue is
not on its way to you. The Postal service tells us it can take
as long as 6 weeks via bulk mail. For those wanting speedier
service we can arrange your issue to go by First Class Mail, but
that will raise the price of your subscription by $3.00.
* * *
The magazine is published on a quarterly basis in the months of
October, January, April and July. All subscriptions begin and
end at the same time... first issue being October and all
renewals coming due after receipt of the July issue. The cost
is $18.00 U.S. for a one year subscription for North America,
and for those outside of this area $20.00 U.S. We accept
personal and business checks, money orders, and Cash. We do not
accept credit cards at this time, due to costs. Back issues,
where available can be obtained from us, at excellent prices.
* * *
Assistance in Publishing this magazine is provided by Eliad P.
Wannum, poet, computer user and all round good guy. The
magazine is made possible by the regular contributors such as
Paul Holmgren, Bill Cable, Andy Hradesky, Bob Hartung to name a
few, and by the many contributions of other writers and
programmers. Your contributions to this magazine are welcome.
This is truly a magazine BY THE USER AND FOR THE USER OF
SINCLAIR, TIMEX AND CAMBRIDGE COMPUTERS. When we cover other
operating systems such as CPM or MSDOS it will be in a
relationship to our computers, or emulators for our systems to
run their software. We primarily cover disk based systems and
software for the TS2068, Spectrum, QL, Z88...and will cover
items on the TS1000 if disk drive based, or in relationship to
using it with the above mentioned computers. We <io accept
reviews of peripherals that are useable by our systems, such as
scanners, printers, modems, etc. Submissions should be on disk
or hard copy (two copies and at least NLQ, no draft mode). If
there is artwork, please let us know in what order it should be
used, and provide it as a saved screen or hard copy screen dump.
The format is very relaxed. Just pay attention to the width of
the pages and allow 3/4 inch top and bottom, and make the left
and right margins wide enough to accomodate a 3 hole punch that
does not cut out some of the text. We have enlarge and reduction
capacity to adjust a page, but may lose some print legibility in
the process. Most important is legibility. Draft quality dot
matrix does not reproduce well. Print size preference is ELITE
12 CPI. PICA 10 CPI is okay also, but please no condensed print.
Please do not make programs submitted on cassette tape under any
circumstance; disk or hardcopy only. Exceptions to this would be
on the wafers from the Rotronics Wafadrive for the Spectrum. Z88
programs on disk may be in either IBM or QL format or hardcopy.
TS2068 programs may be LLISTED in 32 chr. lines.
UPDATE COMPUTER SYSTEMS PAGE DIRECTORY, APRIL 1993
The computer that an article concerns is marked by using the
following mark at the start of the page number-TS2068 = * , QL = #
,Z88 = % ,TS1000=~. There will be no mark if the article or ad
applies to all or several different computer systems.
Inside Front Cover contains magazine information.
Page No. 1 - UPDATE Directory of Magazine Contents
Page No. 2 - Editorial by Frank Davis
★ Page No. 3 - PALLET. Bl, letter and listing by Charles Bothner
%Page No. 5 - The Music Suite Ltd. - ad
*Page No. 8 - Print Factory Graphics by John McMichael - ad
#Page No. 14 - QL Survivors Source Book 2nd Edition - ad
Page No. 15 - RMG - Rod Gowen - ad
Page No. 16 - The History of QZX by Alex F. Burr
Page No. 20 - QZX - ad
Page No. 20 - Computer Classics - Dan Elliott - ad
Page No. 21 - The Invention of Disk Drives: A Success Story
for IBM by Bill Harmer
Page No. 22 - T/SNUG & ZXir QLive Alive - ad
Page No. 23 - Mechanical Affinity - ad
~Page No. 24 - Resurrecting A Crashed Directory on the ZX81
Larken by Donald S. Lambert
#Page No. 26 - Layout, letter and listing by Walt Horais
#Page No. 31 - IQLR - ad
Page No. 32 - UPDATE Wanted or For Sale Ads
#Page No. 33 - Menu-Driven Printer_DAT Selection by Bob
Hartung
#Page No. 34 - Lightning S. E. and Boot by Paul Holmgren
*Page No. 35 - Sinclair World Gazette by Mike Felerski
#Page No. 36 - Miracle in Newport - Sponsored by IQLR
#Page No. 37 - Cable Column - Archive Series Part 12
by Bill Cable of Wood & Wind Computing
#Page No. 39 - QXL - Miracle's New PC Card by Frank Davis
#Page No. 40 - QL to IBM Transfers by Ron Blizzard
★Page No. 41 - Prism PD - Letter and Ad
#Page No. 44 - PROGS DATAdesign - ad
#Page No. 45 - What Is New for the QL by E. P. Wannum
%Page No. 47 - Z88 Glossary of Terms
%Page No. 48 - Z88 Hardware Connections
%Page No. 49 - Z88 MacLink Review by Dave Bennett
%Page No. 50 - Z88 to MacLink Cable - supplied by Dave
Bennett
Back Covers - Issue Disks for TS2068 and QL
All material used in this publication is copywritten and remains
solely in ownership by either the Magazine or the author. To
reprint from this magazine please contact either the magazine
or specific author. All Issue Disks are copyrighted and remain
the property of the software author. All hardware advice is
followed at the users sole risk. Where needed please consult
with competent help on all hardware modifications or projects.
Most of all enjoy the magazine and may it greatly enhance your
use of your computer.
EDITORIAL TIME by Frank Davis
Welcome to the April issue of UPDATE! I will be short on
lectures this issue so that we can get to the articles and ads.
We have at least two exciting events coming up this summer that
I hope to see many of you at .
The first is a new event, a show here in North America, for
users of the QL . It is called Miracle In Newport (Rhode Island)
and will take place June 5th. UPDATE Magazine will be there for
it, as well as Mechanical Affinity, both QUANTA librarians
for North America (Bob Dyl and Paul Holmgren), Bill Cable of
WOOD and WIND Computing, MIRACLE SYSTEMS of the U.K., W. N.
Richardson (formerly E.E.C.) of the U.K., TF SERVICES, of the
U.K., IQLR, and possibly Dilwyn Jones Computing, also of the
U.K. A few user groups and at least one Sinclair club have also
indicated they may be there with tables. Most of us dealers will
be arriving a day or two early, and staying at least another day
or two after the event. The QL is definitely not a dead machine,
and for those who have not closely followed it, this will be a
great chance to see just how sophisticated the hardware and
software have become.
The second event will be the annual DMA COMPUTERFEST at
Dayton, Ohio in August. We hope to have a full ad and info on
this in the next issue of UPDATE. This will be the 3rd year for
UPDATE and Mechanical Affinity to go and display at this show. I
hope to see much more advance planning and contact to Sinclair
users this year than was done last year. We had quite a few show
up for it, but with the word spread farther and faster we could
easily double that number. Tim Swenson is now living in that
area and just may give that boost that is needed. Please, guys
and gals, don't take this as too critical. What was done last
year was good, we just need more of it. I am told over 27
thousand people attended last years show and it is a great place
for disk drives, monitors, and all generic computer supplies.
For those who have a non-Sinclair machine, you will find just
about any computer you can think of represented.
The last item, is to tell you in advance, that UPDATE
Magazine will be continuing for at least one more year beyond
your July issue. This means that we will be here still in 1994.
The hardest part on this decision was how long it takes most of
you to finally get your renewal into us. The number of
subscribers has stayed steady; we lose a few occasionally, but
gain some new ones each year. I have wanted to upgrade the
hardware end of producing the magazine, and for that we need
money. We have kept the price the same for three years, and this
in the face of rising postage costs, as well as paper and toner.
A few may say "well I only pay $20 for some magazines that
publish 12 issues a year!" That is true and most of them are
filled with many full page and expensive ads. We do not have
that as a source of income, only your subscription. This does
not mean that the price will be going up next year, just telling
you why you should renew at the exact time it is due. Many
thanks to those few of you who sent a few extra dollars to help
out, and to those who got a subscription for a friend. I use
Sinclair computers, as well as my Amiga, and want to see this
magazine continue as well as most of you. See ya next issue!
2
Mr. William J. Pedersen
1120 Merrifield S.E.
Grand Rapids, MI 49507
Dear Bill,
After reading your article on "TS2068 Video Bells and
Whistles" in the October, 1992 issue of UPDATE, I decided
to write a sample program which incorporated your ideas
on using the high resolution color graphics mode. The
result is the enclosed program on disk in LKDOS format.
"PALLET. Bl" utilizes the entire 24 line screen to draw
pictures. Only the pallet area of the screen is locked
out for drawing color images. It also has a file saving
and loading capability. When you run the program, the
screen displays the available color pallet at the lower
right and a small white area above it. A flashing cursor
is displayed near the pallet area. The program is designed
to operate with a standard TS2068 compatible joystick
which is plugged into the port on the left side of the
computer. If you desire to load a screen from disk instead
of drawing a new one, then the first action must be to
move the cursor to the small white area above the pallet.
Pressing the button on the joystick at this time will
result in a message asking you to input the name of a
file to be loaded. I have included a sample file named
"DEMOl" which can be used to demonstrate this feature.
The saved file consists of only the second display area
of 6144 bytes which contains the color attributes for
the display. Since the primary display file only consists
of alternating 4 bit "BIXELS" of ink and paper, there
is no need to save it. The "DEMOl" program is not intended
as a work of art since my artistic ability is slightly
less than my musical talent, which is zero.
If you wish to create a new graphic drawing, then the
initial action after running the program, would be to
move the cursor to a selected color area on the pallet
and pressing the joystick button. The selected color
is displayed in a character position located near the
pallet. After selecting a color, slew the cursor to a
desired position on the screen and press the button,
holding it until the cursor stops blinking. After this,
moving the cursor will result in the selected color being
left in the "BIXEL" positions that the cursor traverses.
To turn off the painting of color, press the button again
until the cursor stops blinking. The cursor can then
be moved to a different part of the screen where the
drawing can be continued or a new color may be selected
from the pallet.
When you are finished with the drawing, you may move the
cursor to the small white area and push the joystick button,
you will be asked for the name of the file to be saved
at which time you can enter a file name up to 6 characters
long (the .Cl suffix is added by the program) . If you
enter the name "NOFILE " or "nofile" then the program will
terminate with all parameters returned to normal. You
can also terminate the program at any time with the "BREAK"
command which will also result in all parameters being
returned to normal •
I wrote the bulk of the program in BASIC in order to demon¬
strate the feasibility of doing so. There are 152 bytes
of machine code which is loaded into the printer buffer
area of memory when the program is run. This code handles
the video mode changes, the movement of the O.S.RAM code
to high memory and back, and the primary and secondary
display file initialization. It also has a section which
moves the lower third of the second display file temporarily
to high memory when this portion' of the screen is enabled
for print statements.
The only problem with writing the main program in BASIC
is the fairly slow movement of the cursor. Although some
speedup of the movement could be achieved by rearranging
the order of the subroutines to shorten the search time,
I will probably convert much of the program to machine
code. You mentioned in your article that the two 768 byte
areas normally used for the screen attribute files are
available for machine code in the high resolution color
mode. This is true, but extreme care must be used in conn¬
ection with the primary display file attributes area.
Although the SCLD chip does not access this area when
the high resolution color mode is active, HOME ROM routines
such as CLS and PRINT will overwrite all or part of the
primary screen attributes -area with the ink and paper
colors stored in the systems variables area of memory.
I have included a listing of the program and a listing
of the code utilized for screen setup. I have also included
a machine code utility program which generates a listing
of all BASIC program variables which reside in the VARS
area of memory. This program also resides in the printer
buffer area when it is loaded with the command PRINT #4:
LOAD" VARPRT . Cl "CODE . After listing a normal BASIC program
on my printer, I use the command RAND USR 23296 to activate
the variables search routine which prints out the name
4
and type of all variables which have been stored in the
VARS area when the program has been run. This utility
assumes that an AERCO type printer interface at port 127
( 7FH ) exists. If
then it will be
23529, and 23531)
to running it. I
your printer port number is different,
necessary to patch 3 locations (23522,
with the correct port address prior
have found this utility to be useful
for debugging programs to find out if certain areas of
the program have not been accessed during the RUN sequence,
since the VARS area will contain only those variables
which have been encountered during execution of the program.
This utility code is also useful i n determining whether
or not a variable name has been used already when you
are patching a long BASIC program.
I hope that introducing a practical program which makes
use of the heretofor largely ignored high resolution color
mode will create continued interest in the TS2068 computer
capabilities .
sincerely ,
^(ck"ck) yurt—
Charles G. Bothner
137 East Shore Road
Denville, NJ 07834
THE MUSIC SUITE LTD.
The Music Suite Ltd, Cenarth,
Newcastle Emlyn, Dyfed SA38 9JN.
Credit Card Hotline: (0239) 710594
THE Z88 - LINK II
vj
FAX: (0239) 71 1343
• FULL REMOTE CONTROL OF THE Z88 WITHOUT AN EPROM
• ADVANCED BATCH PROCESSING ON ALL FUNCTIONS
• ARCHIVAL OF ALL Z88 FILES ONTO DISK (INC. FULL BACKUP) WITH VERIFY OPTION
• CONVERTS PIPEDREAM FILES FOR WORDPROCESSOR USE (USING THE RESULTS OF
FORMULAE RATHER THAN THE EQUATIONS)
• CONVERTS PIPEDREAM RUES TO WORK WITH DATABASES OR LOTUS 1-2-3 COMPATIBLE
SPREADSHEETS
• PRINT PIPEDREAM FILES ONTO ANY PRINTER CONNECTED TO THE HOST COMPUTER'S
PARALLEL PORT
• PRINT FULL Z88 DIRECTORY ONTO PRINTER
AVAILABLE NOW FOR: ATARI STs, PC COMPATIBLES and AMIGA'S
Each program comes on disk, with a cable and manual for £34.96
(PC version comes on both a 3Y2* and 5Y/ disk)
Registered owners of the Z88-ST Link or Z88- Amiga Link can update to the Z88-UNK II for £10
Please make cheques/PO's payable to: THE MUSIC SUITE LTD.
You can also pay on credit card (Access/Visa) by FAX (0239) 711343 or phone (0239) 710694.
5
5 REM THIS PROGRAM GENERATES A HIGH RESOLUTION COLOR PALLET AT THE LOWER
RIGHT CORNER OF THE SCREEN AND THEN ALLOWS DRAWING OF SELECTED COLORS AND
IT HAS FILE SAVING CAPABILITY. "PALLET. B1" REV. 7, DECEMBER 30, 1992, BY
C . G . BOTHNER
8 POKE 23730,24: POKE 23731,247: REM SET RAMTOP
10 PRINT #4: LOAD "HIRESC . Cl "CODE : RANDOMIZE USR 23296
19 REM GENERATE PALLET DISPLAY
20 LET B=0 : LET C=28703: LET D=0: LET COL1=9: LET COL2=9: LET S=0
25 ON ERR GO TO 9000
30 FOR K=224 TO 0 STEP -32
40 FOR I=C TO C+1536 STEP 512
50 FOR J=I TO I+K STEP 32
60 POKE J , B : NEXT J: NEXT I
70 LET C=C+31 : LET B=B+9
80 NEXT K
90 LET B=0 : LET C=28959
100 FOR K=0 TO 7
110 FOR I=C TO C+1536 STEP 512
120 FOR J=I TO I+K
130 POKE J,B: NEXT J: NEXT I
140 LET C=C+31 : LET B=B+9
150 NEXT K: OUT 245,7: OUT 246,0
155 GO SUB 3000: REM MARK DISK ACCESS AREA
160 LET X=21 9 : LET Y=55: REM CURSOR START LOCATION
170 GO SUB 1000: REM GET ATTR . BYTE ADDR .
190 GO SUB 5000: REM DETERMINE WHETHER PAPER OR INK CHANGES
210 IF P=0 THEN GO TO 250
220 LET CT 1 =INT (COLEV/8)*8: REM FLASH BLACK INK
230 LET CT2=INT (COLOD/8)*8
240 GO TO 270
250 LET CT 1 = ( ( COLEV/8 ) -INT ( COLEV/8 ) )*8 : REM BLACK PAPER
260 LET CT2=( ( COLOD/8 )-INT (COLOD/8))*8
270 POKE ADDR , CT 1 : POKE ( ADDR+256 ) , CT2
280 IF P=0 THEN GO TO 320
290 LET CT 1 =INT ( COLEV/8 )*8+7 : REM FLASH WHITE INK
300 LET CT2=INT ( COLOD/8 ) *8+7
310 GO TO 340
320 LET CT1=( ( COLEV/8 )-INT ( COLEV/8 ) )*8+56 : REM WHITE PAPER
330 LET CT2=( ( CQLOD/8 ) -INT ( COLOD/8 )) *8+56
340 POKE ADDR , CT 1 r- POKE ( ADDR+256 ), CT2
350 POKE ADDR, COLEV: POKE ( ADDR+256 ), COLOD : REM FLASH ORIGINAL COLORS
360 IF STICK (2,1)00 THEN GO SUB 2000: IF S = 2 THEN GO TO 9000
370
LET Z =
STICK
(1,1)
380
IF
Z = 0
THEN
GO TO 170
390
IF
Z=1
THEN
LET Y=Y+2
400
IF
Z = 2
THEN
LET Y=Y-2
410
IF
Z=4
THEN
LET X=X-4
420
IF
Z = 8
THEN
LET X=X+4
430
IF
Z = 5
THEN
LET X=X-4 :
LET
Y =Y+2
440
IF
Z = 6
THEN
LET X=X-4 :
LET
Y = Y-2
450
IF
Z = 9
THEN
LET X=X+4 :
LET
Y = Y+2
460
IF
Z=1C
THEN
LET X=X+4 :
LET
Y=Y-
470
IF
X > 255 THEN
LET X=255
480
IF
X<0
THEN
LET X= 1
490
IF
Y > 1 9 1 THEN
LET Y= 191
6
500 IF Y < 0 THEN LET Y=1
510 GO SUB 4000
520 IF D=1 THEN GO SUB 1000: GO SUB 5000: GO SUB 2140
530 GO TO 1 70
999 REM GET ATTR . BYTE ADDRESS
1000 LET L= 1 9 1 -Y : LET BLOCK=INT (L/64)
1010 IF BL0CK=0 THEN LET START=24576
1020 IF BLOCK= 1 THEN LET START=26624
1030 IF BL0CK=2 THEN LET START=28672
1040 LET LINE=INT ( L/8 ) - ( BL0CK*8 )
1050 LET SCAN=( (L/8)-LINE-(BL0CK*8) )*8
1060 LET ADDR=START+(32*LINE)+(256*SCAN)+INT (X/8)
1070 LET COLEV=PEEK ADDR : LET COLOD=PEEK (ADDR+256)
1080 RETURN
1999 REM PROCESS BUTTON PUSHES
2000 IF X > 252 AND Y>73 AND Y<78 THEN GO TO 2300: REM DISK ACCESS
2010 IF INT (Y/8)>=8 THEN GO TO 2120
2020 IF X< ( 1 92+8*INT (Y/8)) THEN GO TO 2120
2030 REM PICKUP PALLET COLORS
2040 GO SUB 1000: REM GET ATTR. BYTE ADDR.
2050 LET COL 1 = PEEK ADDR: LET C0L2=PEEK (ADDR + 256)
2060 FOR 1=28761 TO 30297 STEP 512
2070 POKE I , COL 1 : NEXT I
2080 FOR 1=29017 TO 30553 STEP 512
2090 POKE I , C0L2 : NEXT I
2100 LET C0L1 =INT (C0L1/8): LET C0L2=INT (COL2/8)
2110 LET S= 1 : LET D=0: RETURN
2120 IF D= 1 THEN LET D=0: GO TO 2122
2121 IF D=0 THEN LET D=1 : GO TO 2140
2122 IF STICK (2,1)00 THEN GO TO 2122
2124 RETURN
2130 REM PLACE NEW COLORS ON SCREEN
2140 IF P=0 THEN GO TO 2180
2150 LET CT 1 =INT ( COLEV/8 ) *8+C0L 1
2160 LET CT2= INT ( COLOD/8 ) *8+COL2
2170 GO TO 2200
2180 LET CT 1 = ( ( COLEV/8 )- INT (COLEV/8) )*8 + 8*C0L1
2190 LET CT2=( ( COLOD/8 )-INT (COLOD/8) )*8+8*COL2
2200 POKE ADDR , CT 1 : POKE ( ADDR+256 ), CT2
2220 IF STICK (2,1)00 THEN GO TO 2220
2230 RETURN
2300 RANDOMIZE USR 23366: REM SAVE LOWER PART OF SCREEN ATTR.
2310 IF S=0 THEN GO TO 2370
2320 INPUT "SAVE FILE NAME ( 6 CHAR . MAX )?"; A$
2325 IF A$= " NOFI LE " OR A$="nofile" THEN GO TO 2360
2330 LET B$=A$+ " .Cl "
2340 RANDOMIZE USR 23343: REM RESTORE SCREENS
2350 PRINT #4: SAVE B$ CODE 24576,6144
2360 LET S=2 : RETURN
2370 INPUT "INPUT FILE NAME ( 6 CHAR,)?";A$
2380 LET B$=A$+ " .Cl "
2390 PRINT #4: LOAD B$ CODE
2400 RANDOMIZE USR 23427: REM RESTORE PRIMARY DISPLAY FILE
2410 RETURN
2999 REM MARK DISK ACCESS TARGET AREA
7
3000 FOR 1=27359 TO 28127 STEP 256
3010 POKE 1,57: NEXT I: REM MARK IN WHITE
3020 RETURN
3999 REM TURN OFF PAINTING IF IN PALLET AREA OR DISK ACCESS AREA
4000 IF X> 25 1 AND Y>73 AND Y<78 THEN LET D=0
4010 IF INT ( Y/8 ) > = 8 THEN GO TO 4030
4020 IF X>=( 192+8*INT (Y/8)) THEN LET D=0
4030 RETURN
4999 REM DETERMINE IF PAPER OR INK IS CHANGED
5000 LET XI =INT (X/4)/2: LET P=0
5010 IF X 1 =INT XI THEN LET P=1: REM 0=PAPER , 1 = INK
5020 RETURN
8999 REM EXIT ROUTINE
9000 ON ERR RESET
9010 RANDOMIZE USR 23406: REM RETURN TO NORMAL VIDEO MODE
9020 STOP
B
VARIABLE
C
VARIABLE
D
VARIABLE
COL 1
VARIABLE
COL2
VARIABLE
S
VARIABLE
K
FOR/NEXT VAR
I
FOR/NEXT VAR
J
FOR/NEXT VAR
X
VARIABLE
Y
VARIABLE
L
VARIABLE
BLOCK
VARIABLE
START
VARIABLE
LINE
VARIABLE
SCAN
VARIABLE
ADDR
VARIABLE
COLEV
VARIABLE
COLOD
VARIABLE
XI
VARIABLE
P
VARIABLE
CT1
VARIABLE
CT2
VARIABLE
Z
VARIABLE
A$
VARIABLE
B$
VARIABLE
PRINT FACTORY® graphics
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8
Listing of the "HIRESC.C1" code used with the "PALLET" program.
5B00
F 3
ENTR :
DI
5B01
C5
PUSH BC
5B0 2
E5
PUSH HL
5B0 3
D5
PUSH DE
5B04
3E80
LD A, 8 0
5B06
D3FF
OUT (FF) , A
5B0 8
3E0 1
LD A, 01
5B0A
D3F4
OUT ( F 4 ) , A
5B0C
3E02
LD A, 02
5B0E
r-nppn p
wiy O Ju v xj
CALL 0E8E
5B11
AF
XOR A
5B1 2
D3F4
OUT ( F 4 ) , A
5B14
3E09
LD A, 09
5B16
210060
LD HL ,6000
5B1 9
010018
LD BC ,1800
5B1C
CD8A5B
CALL STOR
5B1F
3EF0
AA:
LD A , F0
5B2 1
210040
BB :
LD HL ,4000
5B2 4
010018
LD BC ,1800
5B2 7
CD8A5B
CC :
CALL STOR
5B2A
D1
POP DE
5B2B
El
POP HL
5B2C
Cl
POP BC
5B2D
FB
El
5B2E
C9
RET
5B2F
F 3
RSTR :
DI
5B30
C5
PUSH BC
5B3 1
E5
PUSH HL
5B3 2
D5
PUSH DE
5B3 3
2118EF
LD HL/EF18
5B3 6
110070
LD DE ,7000
5B3 9
010008
LD BC/0800
5B3C
EDB0
LDIR
5B3E
2118F7
LD HL,F718
5B41
22B25C
LD (5CB2) , HL
5B44
18D9
JR, AA
;disable ints.
;save registers
;set up for XROM access
;enable XROM
;hi-res color mode
; CHNGVID in XROM
;clear A
/•enable HOME ROM
;set up for blue ink, blue paper
;start of display file 2
;6144 bytes in file
; load attribute file
;ink bixel on left, paper on right
;start of display file 1
;6144 bytes in file
;load primary display file
/•restore regs.
,* enable ints.
; done
,-disable ints.
;save regs.
;start of temporary storage
;lower 1/3 of display file 2
,* 20 4 8 bytes to be moved
;move them
/•original RAMTOP
store RAMTOP
,-restore display file 1
9
"HIRESC.Cl" (continued)
Listing of
5B4 6
F 3
ENBL:
DI
;disable ints.
5B4 7
C5
PUSH BC
;save regs.
5B4 8
E5
PUSH HL
5B49
D5
PUSH DE
5B4 A
210070
LD HL, 7000
; lower 1/3 of display file 2
5B4D
1117EF
LD DE , EF 1 7
; store new RAMTOP
5B50
ED53B25C
LD (5CB2) , DE
5B5 4
13
INC DE
;point to start of storage area
5B5 5
010008
LD BC ,0800
;2048 bytes to be moved
5B58
EDBO
LDIR
;move them
5B5 A
3E0F
LD A, OF
; setup for blue paper, white ink
5B5C
210070
LD HL ,7000
; lower 1/3 of display file 2
5B5F
010008
LD BC ,0800
;2048 bytes to be written
5B6 2
CD8A5B
CALL STOR
?set up attribute file
5B6 5
AF
XOR A
;clear A
5B6 6
210050
LD HL ,5000
; lower 1/3 of display file 1
5B6 9
010008
LD BC ,0800
;2048 bytes to be written
5B6C
1 8B9
JR , CC
;clear part of display file 1
5B6E
F3
NORM :
DI
;disable ints.
5B6F
C5
PUSH BC
;save regs.
5B70
E5
PUSH HL
5B71
D5
PUSH DE
5B7 2
3E80
LD A, 80
;set up for XROM access
5B74
D3FF
OUT (FF) , A
5B7 6
3E01
LD A, 01
;enable XROM
5B7 8
D3F4
OUT ( F4 ) , A
5B7A
AF
XOR A
; clear A
5B7B
CD8E0E
CALL 0E8E
; CHNGVID in XROM
5B7E
AF
XOR A
5B7F
D3F4
OUT ( F4 ) , A
; enable HOME ROM
5B81
189E
JR,BB
;clear display file 1
5B83
F3
PRIM:
DI
;disable ints.
5B84
C5
PUSH BC
;save regs.
5B8 5
E5
PUSH HL
5B8 6
D5
PUSH DE
5B8 7
1896
JR, AA
; restore file 1 for hi-res color
5B8 9
00
TEMP :
NOP
; temporary storage
5B8A
32895B
STOR:
LD (TEMP) , A
; store a byte
5B8D
3A895B
DD:
LD A, (TEMP)
;get the byte again
5B90
77
LD (HL) , A
;store it in the display file
5B91
23
INC HL
;point to next address
5B9 2
OB
DEC BC
;bump counter
5B9 3
78
LD A , B
;see if done
5B9 4
B1
OR A,C
5B9 5
20F6
JR NZ , DD
;continue until done
5B9 7
C9
RET
; done
Listing of the "VARPRT.C1" code
5B0 0
E5
STRT :
PUSH HL
;save regs .
5B01
D5
PUSH DE
5B0 2
F 5
PUSH AF
5B0 3
2A4B5C
LD HL , ( 5C4B)
;get start of VARS area
5B0 6
7E
AA:
LD A, (HL)
;get the character
5B07
FE 8 0
CP A, 80
;see if end of VARS area
5B09
2825
JR Z,BB
; if so, we are done
5B0B
F 5
PUSH AF
;save the character
5B0C
E61F
AND A, IF
;mask off upper bits
5B0E
C640
ADD A, 40
; convert to upper case ASCII
5B10
CDD75B
CALL PRTO
; send it to printer
5B1 3
FI
POP AF
;get the char, back
5B14
E6E0
AND A , E0
;save idendifier bits
5B16
FE4 0
CP A , 4 0
; is it a string variable ?
5B1 8
2 8 1A
JR Z,CC
/•process it if so
5B1A
FE6 0
CP A , 6 0
;is it a single letter numeric
5B1C
284D
JR Z , KK
/•process it if so
5B1E
FE8 0
CP A , 8 0
;is it a numeric array ?
5B20
2819
JR Z,DD
,-process it if so
5B2 2
FEAO
CP A , A0
;is it a long name numeric ?
5B2 4
2851
JR Z , LL
/•process it if so
5B2 6
FECO
CP A, CO
;is it a string array ?
5B2 8
280A
JR Z,CC
/•process it if so
5B2A
FEEO
CP A , E0
;is it a FOR/NEXT variable ?
5B2C
285D
JR Z , NN
/•process it if so
5B2E
CF
RST 08
;error return if not found
5B2F
01
/•"variable not found" message
5B3 0
FI
BB :
POP AF
,-restore regs.
5B3 1
D1
POP DE
5B3 2
El
POP HL
5B3 3
C9
RET
; done
5B3 4
F5
CC :
PUSH AF
;save identifier
5B3 5
3E2 4
LD A, 24
ASCII
5B37
CDD75B
CALL PRTO
;send it to printer
5B3 A
FI
POP AF
;get identifier back
5B3B
23
Q
Q
INC HL
,* get # of bytes to jump
5B3C
5E
LD E, (HL)
5B3D
23
INC HL
5B3E
56
LD D, (HL)
5B3F
19
ADD HL , DE
,-update address
5B40
23
INC HL
7 add 1
5B41
E5
PUSH HL
7 save new address
5B4 2
FE 4 0
CP A , 40
7 is it a string variable ?
5B4 4
2005
JR NZ ,EE
,• jump if no match
5B4 6
21B05B
LD HL , VARM
,-address of "VARIABLE" message
5B4 9
1817
JR, II
,-go to output routine
5B4B
FECO
EE :
CP A, CO
7is it a string array ?
5B4D
2005
JR NZ , FF
/•jump if not
5B4F
21BC5B
LD HL , ARRM
/•address of "ARRAY" message
5B5 2
180E
JR, II
,-go to output routine
VARPRT.C1"
code (continued)
5B54
FE80
FF: CP A , 8 0
7 is it a numeric array ?
5B5 6
2802
JR Z,GG
;if so, send message
5B5 8
CF
RST 08
; error return if not found
5B5 9
DB
; "???????" message
5B5 A
21BC5B
GG: LD HL , ARRM
7 address of "ARRAY" message
5B5D
CD965B
HH: CALL XSPA
; message out with extra space
5B60
1803
JR, JJ
;go to finish sequence
5B6 2
CD9B5B
II: CALL MOUT
; output the message
5B65
CDA55B
JJ: CALL CRLF
;output a CR and a LF
5B6 8
El
POP HL
; get new address back
5B6 9
189B
JR, AA
; go to next item in table
5B6B
23
KK: INC HL
; update address to next var.
5B6C
23
INC HL
5B6D
23
INC HL
5B6e
23
INC HL
5B6F
23
INC HL
5B70
23
INC HL
5B71
E5
PUSH HL
;save new address
5B72
21B05B
LD HL , VARM
; address of "VARIABLE" message
5B7 5
18E6
JR , HH
,*go to output routine
5B77
23
LL: INC HL
;get next character
5B78
7E
LD A, (HL)
5B79
F 5
PUSH AF
;save it
5B7A
E67F
AND A , 7F
/•form ASCII character
5B7C
FE5B
CP A , 5B
;jump if upper case or numeric
5B7E
3802
JR C , MM
r
5B80
E65F
AND A , 5F
,-convert to upper case
5B82
CDD75B
MM: CALL PRTO
?send it to printer
5B85
FI
POP AF
;get original character back
5B8 6
17
RLA
;test M.S.bit
5B8 7
30EE
JR NC , LL
,-continue if not last char.
5B89
18E0
JR , KK
/update to next address
5B8B
1E1 3 .
NN: LD E , 1 3
/•update address to next var.
5B8D
1600 -
LD D , 00
5B8F
19
ADD HL , DE
5B90
E5
PUSH HL
; save new address
5B91
21C55B
LD HL , FORN
/•address of "FOR/NEXT" message
5B9 4
18CC
JR, II
/•output message and return
5B9 6
3E2 0
XSPA: LD A, 20
; spacecharacter
5B9 8
CDD75B
CALL PRTO
,‘send it to printer
5B9B
5E
MOUT: LD E, (HL)
,*get # of characters
5B9C
23
PP: INC HL
7point to next
5B9D
7E
LD A, (HL)
,* get the character
5B9E
CDD75B
CALL PRTO
7 send it to printer
5BA1
ID
DEC E
/•decrement counter
5BA2
2 OF 8
JR NZ ,PP
,-continue if not done
5BA4
C 9
RET
7 done
VARPRT.C1" code (continued)
5BA5
3E0D
CRLF : LD A,0D
;CR character
5BA7
CDD75B
CALL PRTO
;send it to printer
5BAA
3E0A
LD A,0A
; linefeed character
5BAC
CDD75B
CALL PRTO
;send it to printer
5BAF
C9
RET
,* done
5BB0
OB
VARM :
;11 chars, to be sent
5BB 1
20
1! II
;space character
5BB 2
20
II 11
5BB 3
20
II II
5BB4
56
"V"
5BB 5
41
"A"
5BB6
52
"R"
5BB 7
49
II J II
5BB8
41
"A"
5BB9
42
"B"
5BBA
4C
"L"
5BBB
45
"E"
5BBC
08
ARRM :
;8 chars, to be sent
5BBD
20
11 II
5BBE
20
II II
5BBF
20
II II
5BC0
41
"A"
5BC1
52
"R"
5BC2
52
"R"
5BC 3
41
"A"
5BC 4
59
H y H
5BC5
11
FORN:
;17 chars, to be sent
5BC 6
20
11 II
5BC 7
20
II IV
5BC8
20
II II
5BC 9
20
II II
5BCA
46
Up II
5BCB
4F
"O"
5BCC
52
"R"
5BCD
2F
H j ii
5BCE
4E
"N"
5BCF
45
"E"
5BD0
58
"X"
5BD1
54
ii ip ii
5BD2
20
II 11
5BD3
56
"V"
5BD4
41
"A"
5BD5
52
"R„
5BD6
2E
II II
5BD7
F5
PRTO: PUSH AF
;save regs .
5BD8
C 5
PUSH BC
5BD9
4F
LD C , A
;save the char, in C
5BDA
CD0920
QQ: CALL 2009
; see if BREAK is active
5BDD
3802
JR C , RR
;jump if not
5BDF
CF
RST 08
;error type return
5BE0
14
/•"BREAK" message
VARPRT.C1
code (continued)
5BE 1 DB7F
RR: IN A, {IF)
;read printer port
5BE3 CB6 7
BIT 4, A
; tes t BUSY bit
5BE5 20F3
JR NZ , QQ
;loop back if busy
5BE 7 79
LD A , C
;get the char.
5BE 8 D37F
OUT (7F) , A
;send it to printer
5BEA DB7F
IN A, ( 7F )
; reset the port
5BEC Cl
POP BC
; restore regs.
5BED FI
POP AF
5BEE C9
RET
; done
C.Q H SERVICES
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TOOLKIT I!
QL Survivor's
Source Book
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QL KEYBOARD 90 INTERFACE S°
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PERU, IN 46970
The "OL SURUIUORS SOURCE BOOK
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DATA
RAG
Supports TSers!
WE CERTAINLY DO! If you were a subscriber
to our monthly flyers you would be one of
the first to know about all of the new and
exciting software and hardware that we
come across. Many new PD programs, great
finds in used hardware/software! AND, we
try to keep you up on what is happening in
the TS world. To subscribe, send 12 legal
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new gift catalog send $4. Mail to:
RMG ENTERPRISES
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503/655-7484 FAX: 503/655-4116
THE HISTORY of QZX
Alex. F. Burr
What is QZX and why should any Sinclair computer user care about its
history. The answer is that QZX is the longest running Sinclair newsletter in
the United States. It has just started its tenth year under the current
management. There a a large number of Sinclair computer users which have
not heard of it because it is a special purpose newsletter devoted to the uses of
Sinclair computers in radio. Most of the subscribers are amateur radio
operators and are often known by their Federal Communications Commission
issued call letters. Nevertheless quite a few readers are not licensed but have
an interest in the technical articles published. The readers come from all over
the United States and, at one time or another, from about 20 different
countries.
QZX was started by K2MI, Marty Irons from New Jersey. He started the
magazine as a very personal service to the ham radio computer community, so ,
some of the early history is a result of his actions.
An article about a potent, 12-ounce computer from England that appeared
in Popular Science in 1980 absolutely fascinated him, so he sent in his $200 for
a Sinclair ZX80 the next day. When it came, he was very impressed by the way
it handled the syntax of BASIC programs. He was as happy with it as the
gigantic IBM mainframe he programmed at Western Union. As a ham, he just
had to find out if it could be applied to ham projects, so he asked QST, the
national magazine for radio amateurs, to print an "I'd like to get in touch with"
article to see which other hams were thinking along the same lines.
The initial response was not overwhelming, but those who did write and/or
call were very enthusiastic. Some even sent in BASIC programs and technical
data with their first letter. Nobody offered to put out a newsletter, so he ran
with the ball. Thus QZX was born. The name came from the radio operating
background of the readers. Abreviations starting with Q have special meanings
for hams so it was natural to add the initials of the first computer to Q to get a
title for the newsletter. At that time Marty could not imagine that so many
hams would own Sinclairs within 2 years! Friendships among the little group of
users grew quickly. W9CQD started a 20-meter net, or scheduled time for the
geographically dispersed group of radio operators to all listen on a specific
frequency. An interesting phenomenon then appeared, which was called the 14-
day reflex. About two weeks after each issue of QZX was mailed, letters would
pour in with suggested improvements for many of the BASIC programs
published. The hams were trying other’s ideas, finding better ways to do things,
then sharing their improvements by sending them for publication in QZX.
Marty could not begin to handle all of them, and eventually had to call for
volunteers to test the programs coming in through the mail. That worked
exceptionally well A user’s group called "SARUG" was started in England by
G4INP, and he handled the rest of the world while QZX responded to hams in
the U. S.
The QZX format improved with the use of a laser printer. Hams were by
then keying their transmitters, decoding incoming cw, printing antenna
pointings, and many of the things that hams now do routinely with their IBM-
compatible PC's. But these early readers were pioneers, they did it before the
IBM PC was on the market. Eventually the volume of mail and phone calls
swamped Marty. K2MI was putting in about 4 to 6 hours a day on the project
in addition to working full-time. He rarely saw his wife and 3 kids. When a brief
article about QZX appeared in QST in the summer of 1982, his mail suddenly
jumped to about 40-50 pieces a day. Reluctantly he had to give it up, as there
was no way he could satisfy the demand for a quality newsletter. For him it
was a very exciting time, making new friends and helping others help others.
The rate of progress was amazing!
Marty still drags out a Timex 1000 and hooks it up once in a while just for
sentimental reasons. But QZX is still alive after 10 more years and that some
of the original contributors are still sending in articles.
Marty went $700 in the hole and rarely saw his family for over a year, but
he still has very fond memories of the early QZX days of 1981-1982. The early
days of QZX were truly exciting, with events such as the phone call from Italy
saying that a ham in England had shipped him a Sinclair printer (they were
considered a fire hazard and not approved for sale in this country).
In 1982 it was that QST article, mentioned above, offering a free
subscription to the new Sinclair newsletter, QZX, which attracted the attention
of K5XY, Alex Burr. He too could not resist the bargain that the Sinclair
computer offered, but he first obtained a ZX81 kit. He was already familiar
with the Sinclair products because he had been in Scotland when Sinclair was
just hitting his stride with inexpensive HI-FI audio kits. The kit went together
quickly and a long association with Sinclair computers began.
When K2MI announced that he was looking for somebody else to take over
QZX, W4GHV, Bo Barry, was recruited and negotiations for a change in
sponsorship were stated. Unfortunately they failed. K2MI thought that a
commercial company starting up in Arizona offered more stability for QZX.
Unfortunately that company in turn failed, so QZX wound up in Las Cruces,
NM with K5XY as publisher and W4GHV as editor. Soon KB5EZ, Ron Suggs,
was recruited as technical editor.
The original idea was that the editors would do all the work and that K5XY
would just write an occasional letter. Unfortunately that was not to be. KB5EZ
was a graduate student at New Mexico State University and had the
unreasonable idea that the first order of business was to study enough to
graduate, so he dropped out after a short time.
W4GHV put together QZX for five years, writing articles and organizing the
material submitted by QZX readers. But he too found that it took quite a bit of
time, so one day he up and left town. (The fact that he received a job promotion,
a big salary increase, and a location in his original home state may have had
something to do with the move.) In any case K5XY has been running QZX ever
since, with the help of submissions from QZX readers and the newsletters of
other Sinclair groups.
K2MI spent much of his own money to get QZX started. With the change in
management, QZX was no longer free but had a subscription charge of $12.00.
It also accepted paid advertising to help support the printing and mailing costs.
It has always been self-supporting (if you do not count the labor of putting it
out).
In 1988 postage increases forced the subscription rate up to $15.00. A
subsequent postal increase caused a minor crisis. There was just no way that
one could really justify another subscription increase, so a postage fund was
created to which a surprisingly large number of readers have been making a
annual contribution. This fund, along with a little advertising revenue, has
permitted QZX to pay its own way on the average.
These postal increases have had a great effect on the foreign readers. At
one time there were readers in over 20 countries. QZX even had a distributor in
Sweden who arranged for subscriptions from European hams. But the cost of
sending the issues to other countries is now so high that few can afford it.
It is interesting to note that one of the costs of foreign subscriptions is
replacing the issues lost in the mail. Hams in the US tend to complain about
our postal service. They should look at some of the other postal services in the
world. QZX has been told by some readers to send the issues in plain envelopes
and to always use plain non-commemorative stamps so that collectors will not
be tempted to waylay the issue. US hams have only rarely asked for a
replacement for an issue lost in the mail here. -
Advertising has always helped with the expenses of QZX. At first it was
easy to get companies to advertise, but the buying habits of hams and the
specialized nature of the Sinclair community does not make it obvious that
advertising in QZX is a cost effective measure. Nevertheless some companies
have been major contributors.
One of these is T & C Services from Buffalo, NY. They hold the record for
the longest continuous series of ads in any US Sinclair related publication. One
day they just disappeared, never to be heard from again (but not leaving behind
any unfilled orders, something which cannot be said for some other Sinclair
companies.) There is sure to be an interesting story behind this company, but it
is not known.
Thomas B. Woods is another Sinclair entrepreneur who ran a long series of
ads. The current record holder is RMG Enterprises, who sell a variety of
Sinclair related products. (See their ad in this issue.)
The other advertising feature is the Unclassified ads. It had been hoped
that this would be an inexpensive choice for companies to make sure that their
offerings were always in front of readers, but this hope has not been realized.
The biggest user of this section has been WA4BQE. Ed has used the
unclassifieds to get information about a number of types of Sinclair equipment.
QZX would not be what it is without contributions from its readers. Some
have sent in outstanding amounts of material.
One of the first major authors was KA2HLO, Kraig Pritts. He created a
whole series of ham related programs which he published in QZX and later sold
on tapes.
A major series of articles by Don Lamen, in part reprinted from other
publications, was run starting in the October 1989 issue. Don was not a ham
but his investigation of the Sinclair Logic Chip (SLC) in the ZX81 was an
electronic detective effort worthy of any ham.
Few will forget the articles by LU8MAD. Guillermo is the most prolific
foreign author and has described some of the most sophisticated uses of the
Sinclair computers in ham applications. He describes one case where a
commercial power company was using ZX81 computers to help control their
power lines. His son even contributed some cartoons to a few issues.
The most versatile author is WA6DLI, Bob Howard. He has written about
several different Sinclair computers and contributed several interesting articles
related to satellites.
QZX is the longest running Sinclair newsletter in the world. It may even be
the Sinclair newsletter with the largest subscription base. It is the only Sinclair ,
publication of any kind devoted to the ham radio uses of our computers. (The
SARUG newsletter mentioned near the beginning of this article has ceased
publication some time ago.)
QZX grew rapidly at the start; but, with the disappearance of new Sinclair
computers, it was inevitable that that growth would cease. At one time there
were substantial savings on postage available from third class postage. It once
was cheaper to print the issues rather than Xerox them. But those economies of
scale are no longer available. New subscriptions have not entirely ceased, but
they are few and far between. The renewal rate is higher than anybody has a
right to expect, but in most months one or two readers drop from the list, so it
is inevitable that the reader list shrink. However, some have renewed into the
year 1994 and QZX will be published as long as there are readers.
The latest effort has been the development of a complete index listing all
the articles published under the current management. There are over five
hunderd articles all sorted by title, author, and subject.
The Journal Covering Amateur Radio and Sinclair Computers
ZX80 ; Micro-Ace; ZX81; TS1000, 1500, and 2068; QL; 188
Alex. F. Burr, K5XY, Publisher
2025 O'Donnell Drive
Las Cruces, NM
88001
QZX is a monthly newsletter publishing articles of a technical nature of interest to Radio
amateurs and other technically oriented people from all over the United States and some
overseas countries. The articles relate to any of the Sinclair computers. The US subscription
rate is $15 per year. For a sample issue please sent $1 (postpaid).
THE INVENTION OF DISK DRIVES: A
SUCCESS STORY FOR IBM
by BILL HARMER
If you look at the floppy disk
drive of your computer, you
probably have to strain your
imagination to remember how it
was with computers before disk
drives were invented- In those
days, electronic memory was
expensive and most pre-1970
computers relied on cheaper,
bulkier forms of memory, even
solid magnets (core storage) for
RAM and even before magnetic
drives, punched paper tape and
the punched cards the size of an
old US dollar bill were tried.
Such media needed big buildings
for permanent storage of
programs and data. Unfortunately
also punched paper or cardboard
devices were very slow and due
to their mechanical nature,
feelers, wheels and their
momentum and size, only capable
of a certain speed of being
pushed around before they became
inaccurate or floated between
binary 1 and zero, not touching
anything. In fact, the main
progress of electronic computers
has been to save on the size of
the physical objects used to
represent binary 1 and 0, from
the mechanical calculators '
one- inch diameter wheels down to
tiny buches of electrons that
respond to a push with the speed
of light, and for which a . push
may take only a tiny bit of
energy. Making a mechanical
computer is possible, but the
size of it and energy to push
the wheels around even slowly,
would make it skyscraper-sized
to do even the simplest work.
When mechanical devices are
governed by limits of inertia
( momentum )=weight X speed
(physicists use the more
precisely framed mass and
velocity, mv, if you are going
to be looking this up in a
reference book) then reducing
the weight by reducing the size
of each part of a computer used
to represent a binary bit is
obviously the way to go, and the
way computer science has gone.
The complexity of the logical
and math problems (even
addition) that computers need to
be used to solve to be useful,
means many binary bits and many,
many parts used to physically
represent them, too many for
mechanical computers to be
useful except in a pinch, when
nothing else was available. As
for using magnetic storage on
tape instead of mechanical
storage on punched paper tape or
punched cards, the same sort of
efficiencies could be had by
magnetizing a very tiny area on
a ferric oxide coating on
plastic tape as opposed to
making a rather large hole in
paper or cardboard.
It seems we take computers so
much for granted now that we
forget that they are purely
physical ways of working out
arithmetic and other information
and logical problems, much the
way ancient civilization's
accountants used to, for
example, divide 121 apple
baskets into three by taking 121
beans and splitting them into
three equal sized groups, and
then a simple count of one group
could tell how many apple
baskets would be one third (and
how many would be left over ) .
This is simply a case of letting
small, physical objects
represent numbers to be divided,
added, subtracted, compared,
etc . Computers - just use
electrons and magnetizable areas
on a magnetic tape or disk to
physically represent numbers
rather than beans, but the
principle is the same. So much
for bean counters.
Early tape drives for computers
of the 1950 's and 1960 's did put
a lot of binary data in a small
space , the commonest standard
being to use 8 parallel tracks
to save on the length of tape
needed to store data of a large
block. But if you look at an old
movie of a computer of this
time, the reels of tape are
always spinning as the computer
tries to find ©hunkm of data on
different spots on the tape . So
the speed problem became
critical as computers got faster
and needed to look things up on
the tape faster. The mechanisms
became a speed bottleneck.
An engineer from IBM had a
better idea after taking a lunch
break at a diner that had a juke
box. He reasoned, if so much
data was needed to be looked up
that could be found only at
unpredictable (mathematically
speaking, ramdom from the
analytical model used to think
of the problem) locations on the
tape, perhaps a tape was not the
best shape of magnetic medium to
use. A disk, like a phonograph
record would allow one to get to
any track on it without nearly
as much physical movement he
reasoned, and so the disk drive
was born. It was a matter of, as
with a long playing phonograph
record, moving to the right
track, rather than spinning a
reel of tape, many feet along
the thread of data written on
it, that saved physical movement
to speed things up. A genius
sort of inspiration! Of course,
a phonograph record has its
track in a spiral form so the
music will not be interuped as
it would be if the tracks were
all circles, closing in on
themselves, but the computer,
very interrupt tolerant did not
need this and so the computer
disks used non-overlapping
circles one inside the other as
the tracks to store the data
magnetically on, and in one
single line of binary bits. A
bit stream, when seen
electronically at the electronic
circuits that feed the
electro-mechanical part of the
disk drive's data handling
pictures it.
So IBM put its first disk drive
on the market in 1957. It was a
hard disk, with a removable
stacked disk unit, magnetic
coating on aluminium base disks,
and it was about waist high with
a plastic cover to keep out dust
that wauld ©bfiour© th©
tiny magnetic spots where a
binary bit was stored on a track
on it. And that is how it all
started !
T/SNUG AND ZXIR QLIVE ALIVE!
ZXir QLive Alive is the
publication of T/SNUG which is
an organization trying to keep
the Timex/Sinclair community
going by publishing Timex
related material. Ads are free
so long as they are
Timex/Sinclair related. Sell
your surplus equipment, list
your wanted items, ask for help
or whatever. T/SNUG does not
have' a library as such but
there are software librarians
and Don Lambert has an
extensive file of User Group's,
software libraries on disk in
both Oliger and Larken T/S 2068
plus ZX81 Larken 5.25 disks, I
am sorry but no QL disks. The
quarterly newsletter is
available for a donation of
$10.00 per year. Please send
check or money order to: Abed
Kahale ZXir QLive Alive!
Newsletter 335 W Newport Rd
Hoffman Estates IL 60195-3106
Tele: (708) 885-4337
You do not have to be a member
to submit ads or articles to
ZXir Qlive Alive! Submit
articles and ads to:
Donald S. Lambert
1301 Kiblinger Place
Auburn IN 46706-3010
Tele: (219) 925-1372
2 2
MECHAN X CAL AFFI 1ST I T Y
FOR
NORTH St SOUTH AMERICA SINCLAIRS
With two locations to better serve you and provide the needed
software and accessories for your SINCLAIR, TIMEX-SINCLAIR,
or CAMBRIDGE computers. To obtain our latest catalog for the
QL, Z88, TS2068, or other Sinclair machines; just send a
legal size self-addressed, stamped envelope to either of our
two locations listed below. Due to increased demand we have
added Memory, Cables, and some Software for the Z88. We've
brought back some old favorites for the TS2068, and have
added quite a bit to our QL inventory.
QL, we carry the full lines of software from:
JOCHEN MERZ SOFTWARE, DILWYN JONES COMPUTING, and DIGITAL
PRECISION LTD. We also carry the full line of hardware
offerings from MIRACLE SYSTEMS, and have recently added
QVIEW'S Hermes replacement chip (replacing the 8049) and the
Minerva ROM upgrade.
GOLD CARDS on sale for $360 includes S &H. This is a great
time to upgrade your QL to 2 megs of memory, 16 MH speed and
a battery backed internal clock, the latest version of
Toolkit II, and be able to operate 3 disk drives (720 DD,
1.44 HD and 3.2 ED drives in any combination).
INTERNAL QL ROM BOARD KITS, complete with printed circuit
board, parts and instructions for only $12. Either you, or we
can put your QL ROM on eprom and install it on this board to
allow you to use your favorite ROM version, reduce heat
internally by up to 50 degrees, and reduce power consumption
by as much as 20% (the kit does require soldering and the
opening of the QL for installation).
INTERNAL BATTERY BACKED CLOCK BOARDS, complete with All
parts, printed circuit board, battery, and instructions . A
buy at only $12. If you don't have a GOLD CARD or a QIMI
mouse interface, then this is the best way to give your QL ,a
stable battery backed internal clock.
MECHANICAL AFFINITY
513 E. MAIN ST.
PERU, IN 45970
317-473-8031
MECHANICAL AFFINITY
5231 WILTON WOOD CT .
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46254
317-291-6002
SOFTWARE and HARDWARE producers: If you'd like to expand your
market share, why not consider North America. Contact
Frank Davis at: 317-473-8031.
RESURECTING A CRASHED DIRECTORY
ON THE ZX8 1 LARKEN.
by Donald S. Lambert
One of the worst things that can happen is to have a disk
become corrupt - especially if it is the only copy you have and
the cassette that you had LOADed the original program into the
computer will not load again. I had a printout but a six foot
LLIST on a ZX81/TS1000 is not one that you would enjoy
re-entering into the computer. The disk became corrupt when the
system was jarred while SAVEing another program on the disk. I
had made a printout of the directory and there were 7 tracks of
data in the program.
This is on the Darken ZX81 disk system and so far as I know
there is not a program to automatically rewrite a crashed track
0 - which was what seemed to be the problem - at least attempts
to read the directory gave CRC ER. Having just recently gotten a
ZX81 with 64K on board the computer (no more crashes due to
wobbly ram packs) I was working with the two drive Larken
interface when I had another disk seemingly get corrupted. This
time I was copying it and it was write protected.
A check of the Larken manual gave some POKEs to examine the
contents of a track - but not explanation of how to do it. I
have Bill Harmer ' s 130 page* Unofficial Larken ZX81 Disk Manual
and he explained it so that I could see that it was practical to
do. But he also mentioned a Public Domain program DOSDOC.B1 that
had a slower way of doing it (but required no lengthy
explanation of how to do it).
The program LOADS the designated track into the disk I/F
BUFFER RAM and then lists the addresses and the data on the
screen - but it is slow. The address given is the buffer address
not the disk address. And by pressing CONT you advance one
screen furthur into the addresses - and with a 2K chip that is a
lot of screens - except that I did not have to go that far into
the addresses. I took a look at the contents of track 0 of the
corrupted disk. And it made no sense at all.
I then looked at track 0 of a good disk and kept stepping
and finally I found the file name and while it was crazy
appearing, the track numbers of the tracks the files were stored
on. (The track numbers start with 129 for 1, 130 for track 2 and
so on). The good directory looked like the track map given in
the Larken manual. What did the corrupt track map look like?
Imagine eating in a dining room served by a half dozen or so
waiters from several different kitchens and they were running
like mad. You'd ordered and your order was coming but several
waiters collided and orders slide from tray to tray and some
were lost to the floor. The waiters just keep going and
delivered the stuff on the trays regardless of what was ordered.
That is the way the corrupted disk track 0 looked.
I next looked at track 1 of the corrupted disk and the file
name was there and I knew what had been used and made notes. I
then LOADed track 0 into the buffer and POKEd in at address
12352 (which is the first address in the buffer) 255 and at
12353 POKEd in byte 0 and 12354,200. The rest seemed unimportant
to me so I stepped to the address 12456, and put in 255 which is
the pointer to the first character in the file name then
starting with address 12457 I input the character codes for the
file name (total maximum of 9 pokes) then an end of the name
file and then the following the names addresses address number
and the POKE 253 and then the addresses and the track numbers
where the program is stored. The numbering for the tracks is
weird but starting with 129 it increases by one for each track
as you progress through the file names. Then immediately after
the last track number you POKE in byte 249 for end of track
pointer .
Now a little bit of the nitty gritty that I understand.
Every track starts with byte 255 and on track 0 it again appears
as the 168th address counting disk addresses from the first
address on track 0. In fact byte 255 is the byte that points to
the file name and will appear for each file name in track 0. To
restore track 0 I had to punch in some 23 pokes and then three
key punches SAVEd the poked track back to the disk. And upon
trying the results I found the directory was correct and that
the program also LOADed correctly. Of course I made some extra
copies of the program.
Incidential ly , I cleaned the contacts with CATUG's
suggestion with mineral oil and I did get the disk that I
thought had crashed and was write protected to LOAD. I also had
noticed that if the computer and interface seem to be reluctant
to LOAD a program, removing power for a moment from the entire
system often enabled me to Load the program.
Even if you only have a single disk drive version of LDOS
the program of D0SD0C.B1 has some features that are of great
help. If you would like to have a copy send me a FORMATted disk
with return postage and I will send you a copy. There are eleven
disks of Public Domain software available for the ZX81 Larken
interface, all on double sided 5.25 disks. 0/0
1 1 A C't v >S'vs/r v// .v, /?. 71 C.
Home of the 2 pound, 2 Mb Ptrtonal AtmtanP" laptop
Lee Hickenlooper
Director
MECHANICAL AFFINITY
Frank W. Davis
The Personal Assistant** SINCLAIR COMPUTERS & CAMBRIDGE
TOLL FREE: 800 / 397-0855
Voice 801 / 575-8855 Fax: 801 / 364-6050
1207 South Stare Street Salt lake Qty, Utah *84111
513 East Main St., Peru. IN’ 46970
317-473-8031
LAYOUT
The LAYOUT program will load a single sheet text file and display it
on a scale outline of an 8 1/2” x 11” sheet of paper on the monitor
screen. After the file is loaded, you can move it on the scale sheet
of paper, set the desired margins, select your choice of fonts, and
print the file.
The following figure numbers depict what is portrayed in each figure
of the LAYOUT program and the related commands and choices.
Figui e 1 Displays a scale blank sheet of paper and asks for
inputs of device ( f 1 p , mdv , etc.) number and file name.
Figure 2 Displays the input file on the scale blank sheet of
paper with zero top and left margins. Information is
given on how to move margins, spaces in each margin,
and which key to press when text location is
satisfactory. The file name, total lines, and maximum
characters per line are also shown.
Figure 3 Displays the text properly located on the scale sheet
of paper and reminds you to turn the printer ON. You
are also given a list of fonts to select from. The
selection is highlighted by a change in the paper and
ink color on the first letter. You can change the font
selection or accept it. If accepted, printing starts.
Figure 4 When printing is completed, the same text page is
displayed and you may choose to change the fonts, enter
a new file, repeat printing of the current file, or
quit .
While the text is being printed, the word "PRINTING” will be displayed
on the screen.
This LAYOUT program has been found very useful in the positioning of
letters and memos. You can type your letter and not be concerned if
the margins are suitable. A brief processing of your letter on the
LAYOUT program will provide margins to your satisfaction.
10 WINDOW 512, 205 ,0,0: PAPER ® ; BORDER 1,6: C-LS
20 OPEN #5, con_250xl00a4x2: PAPER #5,0: I NK #5 , 6 : CLS #5
30 OPEN #6, con_250xl00a4xl04: PAPER #6,0: I NK #6 , 6 : CLS #6
40 OPEN #7, con_ 16 Ixl34a320xl6 : PAPER #7,6: INK #7,0: CLS #7
50 OPEN #9, con_252x45a256xl60: PAPER #9,0: INK #9,6: CLS #9
60 AT #5,4,5: INPUT #5, "Enter device: " ; dev$
65 IF de v$=" f lpl" OR dev$="flp2" OR dev$="mdvl" OR dev$="mdv2" THEN GO T
O 70: ELSE BEEP 2000,45: AT #5,4,5: PRINT #5,"
" : GO TO 60
70 AT #5,5,5: INPUT #5, "Enter file name: ";fil$
80 LET c=0: LET m=0 : LET lm=0: LET rm=85: LET ura=0: LET bm=66: LET 1 = 99.
5
90 OPEN #4, dev$&" &f i 1$
110 REPeat loop
115 IF EOF (#4) THEN EXIT loop
120 I NPUT#4 , a$ : LET s=0: LET f=l: LET c = c+l
125 LET t = LEN <a$ ) : IF t>m THEN LET m=t
130 FOR x=l TO LEN (a$ >
140 IF CODE (a$ (x) ) ~32 THEN INK #7,0: ELSE INK#7,6
150 L I NE#7 , s , 1 TO f , 1
160 LET s=s+ . 85 : LET f=f+.85
170 END FOR x: LET 1=1-1.51515
190 END REPeat loop: CLOSE #4
200 AT #9,0,17: STRIP #9,6: INK #9,0: PRINT #9;" ";iil$;" "
205 STRIP #9,0: INK #9,6
210 AT #9,1,17: PRINT #9 , c ; " Lines total"
220 AT #9,2,17: PRINT #9;m;’’ Char/Li ne/Max"
230 AT #1,2,50: PRINT #l,um: AT #1,14,50: PRINT #1 , bn- (c-ui)
240 AT #1,0,53: PRINT #l,lm: AT #1,0,78: PRINT #1 , rm- (m+lm>
245 AT #5,4,5: PRINT #5, "- Margins indicated on chart"
250 AT #5,5,5: PRINT #5, "- Move text by arrow keys "
260 AT #5,6,5: PRINT #5, "- When location OK, push <F1>"
300 REPeat loop
310 z = CODEC INKEYS <-l) ) : SELect ON z
320 =208: IF urn = 0 THEN SCROLL 0: ELSE : SCROLL #7,-2:
LET um = urn- 1 : LET bin = bm+1: blink
330 =216: IF bin = 0 THEN SCROLL 0: ELSE : SCROLL #7,2:
LET um = um+1: LET bm = 66- (c + um) : blink
340 =200: IF rm=0 THEN PAN 0: ELSE : PAN #7 , 2 : LET lm=lm+l:
LET rm=85- ( lm+m) : blank
350 =192: IF lm=0 THEN PAN 0: ELSE : PAN #7, -2: LET lm=lm~l:
LET rm=rm+l: blank
360 =232: CLS #5
362 AT #5,4,5: PRINT #5,’ Is printer "ON" ?’
364 AT #5,5,5: PRINT #5,’ Select characters listed below’
366 AT #6,1,5: PRINT #6,’<B>old characters'
368 AT #6,2,5: PRINT #6,’<D>ouble strike’
370 AT #6,3,5: PRINT #6,’<E>lite characters'
380 AT #6,4,5: PRINT #6,’<H>igh quality’
382 AT #6,5,5: PRINT #6,’<I>talic characters’
384 AT #6,6,5: PRINT #6 , ’ < P> r oport iona 1 ’
386 AT #6,8,5: PRINT #6 , ’ Se lect ion OK ? (y/n) ’
27
400 OPEN #3, serl : PRINT #3, CHRS (27) ; ” 1” ; CHRS (lm> ;
410 =66,98: PRINT #3 , CHRS <27 ) ; ” E” ;
415 AT #6,1,5: flip: PRINT #6;”<B>”: flop
420 =68,100: PRINT #3 , CHRS (27 ) ; ” G” ;
425 AT #6,2,5: flip: PRINT #6;”<D>”: flop
430 =69,101: PR I NT #3 , CHRS (27 > ; ” <M>” ;
435 AT #6,3,5: flip: PRINT #6;”<E>”: flop
440 =72,104: PRINT #3 , CHRS (27 ) ; ” xl” ;
445 AT #6,4,5: flip: PRINT #6;”<H>”: flop
450 =73,105: PR I NT #3 , CHRS <27 ) ; ” 4” ;
455 AT #6,5,5: flip: PRINT #6;”<I>”: flop
460 =80,112: PR I NT #3 , CHRS <27 ) ; ” pi” ;
465 AT #6,6,5: flip: PRINT #6;”<P>”: flop
500 =78,110: PR I NT #3 , CHRS <27 ) &” @” &CHRS (24 ) ;
501 CLS #6: GO TO 366
510 =89,121: CLS #5: CLS #6: AT #6,4,16: PRINT #6 ; ” PR I NT I NG”
511 FOR If =0 TO uni-1 : PRINT #3: END FOR If: CLOSE #3
515 COPY_N dev$&” _” &f i 1 $ TO serl
516 OPEN #3 , ser : FOR lf=0 TO 65-<um+c): PRINT #3: END FOR If
517 CLOSE #3: PAUSE 300: CLS #5: CLS #6
520 AT #5,3,5: PRINT #5;”<C>hange characters”
525 AT #5,4,5: PRINT #5 ; ” < A>nother file”
530 AT #5,5,5: PRINT #5;”<Q>uit”
535 AT #5,6,5: PRINT #5 ; ” <R>epeat”
540 =67,99: CLS #5: CLS #6: GO TO 700
545 =65,97: CLS: OPEN #3, ser: PRINT #3 , CHRS (27 ) &CHRS (24 > ; : CLOSE
#3: RUN
550 =81,113: WINDOW #2,256,202,0,0: PAPER #2,6: INK #2,2
555 BORDER 1,6,0: CLS: WINDOW 256,202,256,0: PAPER 2
560 INK 6: BORDER 1,6,0: CLS: NEW
565 =82,114: AT #6,4,16: PRINT #6 , ” PR I NT I NG” : OPEN #3, ser: GO TO 511
600 END SELect : END REPeat loop
700 OPEN #3, ser
710 PRINT #3 , CHRS (27 ) &”F” &CHRS (27 ) &” H” &CHRS (27 ) &” P”
720 PRINT #3 , CHRS (27 ) &” x0” &CHRS (27 ) &” 5” &CHRS (27 ) &” p0” ;
730 GO TO 364
800 DEFine PRQCedure blink
805 AT 2,50: PRINT ” ”: AT 14, 50: PRINT ” ”
810 AT 2, .50: PRINT urn: AT 14,50: PRINT bin
815 END DEFine
830 DEFine PRQCedure blank
835 AT 0,53: PRINT ” ”: AT 0,78: PRINT ”
840 AT 0,53: PRINT lm: AT 0,78: PRINT rm
845 END DEFine
850 DEFine PROCedure flip
855 STRIP #6,6: INK #6,0
860 END DEFine
865 DEFine PROCedure flop
870 STRIP #6,0: I NK #6 , 6
875 END DEFine
28
]
Enter device:
Enter fUe name;
f i p2
testmemo_ t is
f igure i ,
29
- 1
INTERNATIONAL QL REPORT
The Definitive Information Source
Published by SeaCoast Services
Information, News, Reviews, Hints, Program Listings and Group Buys
If you had been a subscriber during the last two years you would have received advanced
information on the latest hardware and software developments to appear on the QL
scene. Each issue contains over 40 (approx. A4) pages jam packed with the information
you need, including advertisements from the major producers of QL/QDOS hardware
and software.
Intended for the novice as well as the expert, this publication is proud of it’s contribution
toward reuniting and/or establishing contacts between geographically separated users.
All the material published in IQLR is contributed by QL Users from all over the world
and is representative of their actual use of QL hardware and software.
Regardless of what other QL publications and Newsletters you subscribe to, we believe
you’ll read about it first in IQLR. We have NEVER missed an issue nor have we been
late with an issue.
As we enter our third year of publication, IQLR has become the fastest growing
QL/QDOS publication in the world, we hope you’ll want to grow with us.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
USA
BRITISH ISLES & EUROPE
CANADA
CENTAL & SOUTH AMERICA
THE REST OF THE WORLD
$18.00
per year
$32.00
(US FUNDS)
$21.00
(US FUNDS)
$32.00
(US FUNDS)
$38.00
(US FUNDS)
Note: We will accept Pounds Sterling (£) or DM bank notes (currency) equivalent to the
US $ amount
IQLR is published 6 times per year. Our subscription year runs from 1 May through 30
April GENEROUS discounts are available to User Groups placing subscriptions for
four or more members. Contact us for additional information.
15 Kilburn Court, Newport, Rhode Island 02840, USA
WANTED OR FOR SALE AIDS
UPDATE MAGAZINE accepts want ads or requests free from
its readers, for the following purposes only: for the sale or
purchase of generic computer equipment (monitors, disk drives,
printers, etc. ) and for the sale or purchase of Sinclair or
Cambridge computers, peripherals or software. No Atari, IBM, MAC,
or similar computers allowed on this page. Enuff said.
(1) FOR SALE: QL PRINTER, with ribbon, for $70 which includes
postage and handling within USA. Contact Paul Holmgren, 5231
Wilton Wood Court, Indianapolis, IN 46254, or phone 317-291-6002
on weekends or evenings. Also, 100 5 1/4 DISKS WITH TYVEK SLEEVES
for $18, which includes postage and handling.
(2) WANTED: DISK DRIVE & INTERFACE FOR TS2068, SIZE & FORMAT
UNIMPORTANT. ALSO: 1200 BAUD (OR HIGHER) MODEM W/CABLE FOR TS2068.
PLEASE CALL OR WRITE PHILLIP HOSEY AT (512) 398-5869; 406 NORTH
BLANCO, LOCKHART, TEXAS 78644; OR ACCESS LOCKHART BBS AT (512)
398-5644 & LEAVE E-MAIL.
(3) I need reliable 1200 baud BBS software for the TS2068 and
reliable modemming hardware and / or serial interface hardware.
Dave Lassov, System Oriented Languages CORP, 2590 N. Jordan DR,
Tucson, AZ 85745-1132, or call 602-882-6920 (voice).
(4) FOR SALE: 720K 5 1/4 disk drives, suitable for QL or
TS2068 (3 only) for $40 each, includes postage and handling. Also,
one TS1000 Aerco Disk Drive interface, with dual disk drives,
power supply, case and software for only $175, which includes
postage, handling and insurance. TS1000 in full sized case with
full sized keyboard for $40. Contact Frank Davis, 513 East Main
St., Peru, IN 46970 or call 317-473-8031, evenings or weekends
only. If you do not get me the first try, leave a message on my
machine or call back again.
(5) WANTED: SINCLAIR COMPUTERS TO REPAIR. Prices reasonable
and willing to do mods or put kits together for you. Several years
experience doing this. Contact John Hamner, HCR 1, Box 50A,
Mellette, SD, 57461.
(6) WANTED NEW AND RENEWING SUBSCRIBERS TO UPDATE MAGAZINE: no
experience required, willing to learn and who want to contribute
to the continued life of Sinclair and Cambridge computers. Please
send $20 for subscription outside North America, or $18 for those
residing in North America. Renew early, or sign a friend up. Send
all checks, money orders, etc. to UPDATE Magazine, P.O.Box 1095,
Peru, IN 46970.
(7) WANTED: New or used 32K, 128K or 512K eprom cartridges for
the Z88 computer at very reasonable prices. Willing to buy in
small quantities. Write to Eliad P. Wannum, c/o UPDATE Magazine,
P.O. Box 1095, Peru, IN 46970. Also need directions in English for
assembling and using SPEM 2 case for the QL. I have docs, but in
Italian. Help would be appreciated. Thanks.
32
MENU — DRIVEN PRINT ER _ DAT SELECTION
Bob Hartung, 2416 N. County Line Road E. , Huntertown, IN 46748
Some may have noted that a large part
of the things I have written for UPDATE
have been to enable single-key selection
of programs or other functions from
menus. From the first time I set hands
on a computer (a ZX-80) I have had the
notion that the user shouldn’t have to do
what the computer may easily be program¬
med to do. Not all programs I have seem
to have been written with this In mind.
A case in point is the need to run the
INSTALL_BAS program every time a new set
of printer data Is needed for the PSION
suite of four or EXCHANGE. I have tried
several other wordprocessors and spread¬
sheet programs for the QL as well as the
PC and still prefer to use QUILL and
ABACUS for most purposes. I would add my
voice to those asking if someone might do
an update on these programs while still
retaining their best features.
The routine listed below allows the
selection of any pre-defined printer data
before loading one of the PSION programs.
It is the result of my friend, Kenton
Garrett, asking me to write a routine
that would select different sets of
printer data for each of the printers he
uses with his QL system. It is written
so it may be merged with my BOOTmenu
program as given on page 22 of the Oct.
92 UPDATE. If you do not have that issue
please enclose a SASE when you request me
to send you a copy of the listing.
If you already have defined pr1nter_
dat on separate disks you may simply put
the disk with the completed BOOT routine
in f lp2, the printer_dat disk in flpl,
and -enter COPY flp1_printer_dat TO flp2„
newname_dat. "Newname" is the title as
entered in respective pdat definitions.
Note that the _dat extension is supplied
by the menu routine and so is Included in
the disk file names but not in the menu
titles.
To create new printer_dat files, LRUN
INSTALL_BAS from flpl and install to
flp2, the drive your BOOT disk is in.
After installing with F5, key CTRL SPACE
to break into the program. Use COPY flp2_
printer_dat TO f lp2_newname_dat. Enter
RUN to re-start INSTALL_BAS and repeat
the above for each set of data. To use
with EXCHANGE see the line 725 REMark.
75 PRINT V PROGRAM MENU (BREAK & AUTO 1
,1 to edit)"
80 PRINT #0;" Key: A-Z for other menus
0-9 or a-z to LOAD file FI to select
new pr1nter_dat £ to set: ",,,," B:
Last menu"
85 REMark Omit line 165 & save copy of 1
ines 1-250 as Bboot. Revise line 80 pro
mpt for Cboot ....
165 IF slc=232 THEN pdat
260 DEFIne PROCedure pdat
270 MODE 4: DIM d$(36,18): d$( 1 )="LASTus
ed"
280 d$(2)="CIT0H"
290 d$(3)="KXPallfonts"
300 d$(4)="KXPprestige"
310 d$(5)="KXPcour1er"
320 d$(6)="KXPsanser1f "
330 d$(7)="KXPboldPS"
340 d$(8)="QLprinter"
350 d$(9)="EPSON510"
360 d$(10)=“": REMark Define empty d$(1
1) through d$(36) in lines 370-620 as in
line 360
630 FOR j=1 TO 36
640 AT j-1-18*(j>18),20*(j>18): PRINT CH
R$ (j+47+39*(j>10));"=";d$(j)
650 END FOR j
660 PRINT V PRINT ER_DAT MENU"
670 CLS #0: PRINT #0;H KEY: 0-9 or a-z
to select printer_dat to be activated (i
n both f 1 p 1 __ and ram1_)M\" Use AUTO 270,
10 to edit menu display titles. Do NOT
append _dat to menu t1tles."V "Not Foun
d" error if _dat used in menu titles or
if misspelled. Key ESC to quit.’
680 slc=CODE(INKEY$) : IF slc=0 THEN GO T
0 680
690 IF slc=27 THEN MODE 4: GO TO 50 -
700 slc=slc-47-39*(slc>57)
710 IF sic < 0 OR sic > 36 THEN GO TO 63
0
720 IF d$(slc)=“" THEN GO TO 630
725 REMark For EXCHANGE, replace printer
_dat in line 730 with xchange__dat or re¬
define as line 735 for both options
730 DELETE flp1_printer.dat: COPY "flp1_
" & d$(slc) & "_dat" TO f lp1_printer_dat
: DELETE ram1_printer_dat: COPY "flp1_“
& d$(slc) & "_dat" TO ram1_printer_dat
740 DELETE f Ipl _LASTused_dat: COPY flpl
_printer_dat TO f 1 p1_LASTused_dat
750 MODE 4: GO TO 50
760 END DEFIne pdat
33
LIGHTNING S.E. and BOOT
by Paul Holmgren
Hello??, yet another little tip for the QL user.
One of the things my other Sinclair based computers taught
me is that there is a certain sense of neatness and effective
usage when you utilize a simple straight forward approach to get
things done quickly.
With those ingrained habits, I still look for ways to do
economical programming even with my QL.
I had a chance to evaluate "Lightning SE for the Gold Card"
recently.
After using the Boot and Configure files of Lightning, my
new disk looked like this:
1362/1440 sectors lng_TEXT_ext
lng_GRAF_ext lng_MATH_ext BOOT
and the boot file created by the configure program:
1 REMark - CONFIGURED LIGHTNING BOOT FILE 2 REMark Do NOT use
with other configured LIGHTNING systems 3 source$= ' FLP2_ ' 4
s=RESPR( 33792 ) 5 LBYTES source$& ' lng_TEXT_ext ' , s : CALL s 6 LBYTES
source$& ' IngGRAFext ' , s+22360 : CALL s+22360 7 LBYTES
source$& ' lng_MATH_ext ' , s+26676 : CALL s+26676 10 NEW
I ended up with 4 files, 3 separate parts of Lightning, and
a boot program that loads and then calls each segment.
Is there is a better way? Line 4 of the boot program
reserves 33792 bytes for the Lightning files to be loaded into.
This is a single continuous memory area.
I loaded the "BOOT" program and deleted line 10. I then
RAN the program. At the cursor prompt I then typed PRINT s. That
is the start address of the code where "Lightning" resides.
I then typed SBYTES f lpl_lng_code s, 33792.
I then did a simple rewrite of the BOOT program to do a
single LOAD of code that left me with the following DIR of the
disk :
1362/1440 sectors boot lng_code
And the new BOOT program:
3 dv$= ' f lp2_ ' : s=RESPR( 33792 ) 5 LBYTES dv$& ' lng_code ' , s : CALL
s 6 CALL s + 22360 : CALL s + 26676
The calls to each of the selected parts of "Lightning"
remained the same, but this way only 2 files are loaded. This is ci
step and time saving technique. It even cuts down on the daily
wear and tear on disk drives.
This works on any program that is divided into parts that I
have run into. I hope this is of help to you!
Editors Note: This technique applies to other programs as
well and does not require S. E. versions or a Gold Card.
34
SINCLAIR
WORLD
GAZETTE
World News G Information i.O
Sinclair User M^zine
lianv Sinclair owners around the
world are still not aware that
Sinclair User Magazine is still
in publication. Its reader focus
is young first tine computer
users and game p layers . The
magazine is published monthly
and runs about forty pages per
issue. But, its most intriguing
features is that each issue
comes with a cassette attached
to it containing "'The Great 8,f .
The Great 8 consists of at least
eight programs ranging from
games to music to utilities. The
August and September issues
included ICON GRAFIX 48K.
STARSHIP QUEST, NIGHT RUfa
CEASE FIRE II and the SPRITER
hacking program .
In the United States and Canada,
the best way to get a hold of
Sinclair User is with a sub¬
scription. The cost is £27 and
can be paid for with UISA Cthe
author's choice! MasterCard,
Diners Club as well as a bank
check i n £s ,
For a subscription, contact:
emap images. Ltd .
Consumer Subscriptions
P.O. Box 500
Leicester, LESS 0AA
Phone : C0858! 410510
FAX : C 0858! 4341 S0
Keep an eye , out for more tidbits
regarding Sinclair User Magazine
and other Timex/Sinclair and
Sinclair publications from
around the wor Id .
If you have any information
about Sinclair publications,
please send their address to:
SWG
1284 Brushwood Ave
Cincinnati, Ohio
45224
Please send a LSASE for replies*
What is ’The Hobbit'" you say?
Well, it not only is the latest
and greatest import from Russia
Caka the former Soviet Union!,
but it is also the latest
Sinclair Spectrum Clone*
Sinclair User Magazine featured
a full page article on The
Hobbit in its August 1092 issue.
The Hobbit is
48K Spectrum,
it has 64K RAM
order to inclu
such as runnin
PC f ormatted d
The keyboard i
with both Roma
characters on
a fully compatible
But in reality,
and G4K ROM in
de extra features,
g 3.5'" and 5.25'"
i sks and drives,
s standard QWERTY
n and Cyr i 1 li c
the keyboard*
Spectrum software can be LOADed
via cassette and then SAVEd out
to the optional disk drive.
Besides a DOS, The Hobbit also
has fully compatible Spectrum
BASIC, FORTH and CP/M on board .
CNote : the disk drive is needed
o run/use the FORTH language! .
Some of the extended features
includes keyboard macros,1, auto¬
numbering and renumbering and
networking commands. The , network
interface allows severa 1 Hobbits
to be linked together even with
PC's* Below are some Hobbit
statistics from Sinclair User:
Microprocessor
Speed
RAM
ROM
Net work Speed
Pr ice:
CPU
5.25” Disk
Zylog Z80
3 . 5 Mh z
64Kb
64Kb
56Kb its/Sec
£79 . 00
£59 . 0G
Available from:
ADB Russian Services
17 Stortf ord Road
Great Dunmow
Essex CM6 IDA
[Phone : C0371! 876 34G3
Write/Phone for Ava i lab i 1 i ty * * * *
35
INTERNATIONAL QL REPORT
The Definitive Information Source
Published by SeaCoast Services
AN OPEN INVITATION TO ALL QL/QDOS USERS
MIRACLE in NEWPORT
IQLR is sponsoring a QL get-together to be held in Newport, Rhode Island, USA on
the 5th of June 1993. The festivities will be at the Salvation Army Building on
Memorial Boulevard between the hours of 1300 and 1800 ( 1 pm to 6 pm EDST),
after which, an optional DUTCH TREAT DINNER ( you pay for your own meal) will
be held at the Newport Beach Club.
Expected to attend and demonstrate their latest developments are Stuart Honey ball of
MIRACLE SYSTEMS, Frank Davis of MECHANICAL AFFINITY, Bill Cable of
WIND & WOOD COMPUTING , also planning to attend (not yet confirmed) are
Freddy Vachha of DIGITAL PRECISION, Tony Firshman of TF SERVICES, and
the outside possibility of Dilwyn Jones of DILWYN JONES COMPUTING .
There will be ample time for the demonstrations, time to browse the various tables
(buy QL stuff), and to also include a question and answer period. We promise it won’t
be as rowdy as the Question and Answer sessions of the House of Commons.
Come and meet the people responsible for the continuing success of the QL/QDOS;
renew old friendships, start new ones, but above all come and have a good old
fashioned QL good time. Bring- the. whole family, Newport is famous for its family
orientated activities, and there are plenty of accomodations within minutes of the
show.
To pay for the costs incured, it will be necessary to charge a modest admission fee;
pre-registration is $3.00 per person, at the door registration will be $5.00 per person.
All those in attendence will receive a name badge to help identify everybody.
ADDITIONAL INFORM A TION IS A VAILABLE FROM: Bob Dyl at IQLR, or call
401-849-3805
15 Kilburn Court, Newport, Rhode Island 02840, USA
36
CABLE COLUMN
By Bill Cable
ARCHIVE SERIES
PART 12 : ENTERING PROCEDURES USING THE
ARCHIVE PROGRAM EDITOR - FIRST GROUP
This series now begins formal programming in ARCHIVE.
I have provided many one liner type-in examples in the
past as a way to illustrate how some of the commands
work but ARCHIVE is not designed to be used that way.
The commands are just the building blocks of a more
complex structure called a procedure. ARCHIVE is a
procedure based language like SuperBASIC.
What is a procedure? It is just a user defined collection of
ARCHIVE commands and functions (and perhaps calls to
other procedures) that accomplishes a task. The
procedure is given a name and it is executed (called)
when the procedure name is invoked. Procedures are
similar to functions or subroutines in other languages.
They work similar to GOTOs in older version of BASIC
where a block of code could be jumped to and returned
from. Procedures have several advantages over the
GOTOs. First the name of the procedure, if wisely chosen,
is descriptive of what the procedure does That helps us
conceptualize what is being done much better than line
numbers. It makes it possible to read a program and
actually understand most of it. Second procedures can be
developed and debugged independently and then be
merged into whatever programs need the procedure. Third
a procedure can call itself. Often certain programming
tasks have a simple solution if a group of statements can
be used over and over (recursion) until a condition is met.
Often we want our procedure to be passed information to
work with. This is done by putting a semicolon after the
procedure name and listing the variables (arguments) to
be passed separated by commas. If we define our
procedure in this way the arguments must always be
included when the procedure is called.
What is a program in a procedure based language? A
procedure is a collection of commands, functions, and
procedure calls with a name and specific task to
accomplish, a program is a collection of procedures stored
in a file (which has a name) that work together to
accomplish a more complex task.
What is a function in the ARCHIVE language? Functions
are much like procedures but there is only a fixed set of
system defined ones provided and they always have an
argument list in parenthesis (). They might be thought of
as useful canned procedures always available to us.
I have explained previously that ARCHIVE supports 2
kinds of variables much like BASIC : Text variables which
end in a ’$' and can hold up to 255 characters and floating
point (numeric) variables which don’t end in ’$’ and have
up to 14 significant digits. ARCHIVE does not support
arrays. Variables must be initially defined before they can
be used and there are 3 ways this can be done :
1. LET command : let a$ = "Hello" : let bet = 543
2. LOCAL command : local a$,bet
3. In procedure definition : proc tally_up;a$,bet
Variables can be global (available everywhere) or local
(exist temporally within a procedure). They are local within
a procedure if in the procedure definition or in a LOCAL
command within the procedure otherwise they are global.
We will continue learning about ARCHIVE by entering and
playing with a series of procedures that can be saved and
merged into programs as needed. These handy
procedures deal primarily with displaying information to
the user and prompting for information from the user. By
having these standardized procedures for interacting with
the user it will be much easier to construct the more
complex programs I will introduce later.
BASICS OF THE ARCHIVE PROGRAM EDITOR
After you start ARCHIVE you are in command mode and
you see the command prompt These are the
ARCHIVE commands relating to the program editor
available in the command mode :
Start the editor edit<ENTER>
Load procedure(s) load "{J/75/77^'<ENTER>
Save procedure(s) save "{}/7a/7?e?'<ENTER>
Start a loaded procedure r?a/77e<ENTER>
print loaded procedures llist<ENTER>
where {} = device (flp2_,mdv1_. etc)
When you save procedures to a file they are in ASCII
(text) form which can be edited with other editors (I like
THE EDITOR). There is a binary form ’save object’ and
'load object’ which will be discussed later.
After you start the ARCHIVE program editor (by typing :
edit<ENTER>) you are in the program edit mode. The
program editor is like a single purpose word processor
designed to only create and edit ARCHIVE procedures. I
think it is one of the slickest programming environments
around. If it only had a search and replace it would be
complete. If no procedures are currently loaded you will be
asked for a name of a procedure to create otherwise all
loaded procedures are listed alphabetically on the left
side of the screen. The procedure being edited is in bold
face and its lines appear on the right. You change
which procedure to edit by pressing <TAB> or
<SHIFT><TAB>. You choose your edit location within the
procedure’s lines (on the right) by the up arrow and down
arrow keys. You do your editing at the bottom of the
screen. It very convenient and much easier than
SuperBASIC program editing. The editor automatically
indents conditional statements and loops for easy
reading and debugging.
37
The program editor has its own set of commands and
special keys. They are :
Exit the editor
Create procedure
Move to a procedure
Move to a line
Insert new lines
Edit a line
<ESC> or <ESC><ESC>
<F3>n<ENTER>
name<ENTER>
{enter lines of procedure}
<ESC> {when done}
<TAB> or <SHIFT><TAB>
<up arrow> or <down arrow>
<F4>
{now insert lines}
<ESC> {when done}
<F5>
Cut (Delete) line(s)
Paste (copy) Lines
Delete a procedure
{edit line as desired}
<ENTER> {when done}
<F3> c
{up or down arrow for more}
<ENTER> or <ESC> to abort
{Cut them as above}
{move to procedure & line to put}
<F3> p <ENTER>
{Move to procedure to delete}
<F3> d <ENTER> {its gone}
PREPARATION
Start ARCHIVE in your customary way so you see the
ARCHIVE command prompt (>). We will not need to
access a database. You will start the editor and
immediately begin entering the procedures listed below.
Some mistakes will cause the editor to not accept a line
and you will have to spot the mistake and correct it (like
unmatched quotes). Type in as many as you wish and exit
the editor and save them to a file (call it groupl) and save
a second copy somewhere else.
PROCEDURES TO ENTER - GROUP 1
proc acky;iine,m$
rem prints message (m$) at line & waits for acknowledge
liny;line: print m$;"."; tab 40;" Press <ENTER> :
input i$:liny;line
endproc
proc defy;lme,m$,d$
rem prompts m$ at line and suggests d$, \ = null
liny.line: print m$;" [<ENTER> if H,;d$;M’] : ”;:inp: if ans$=MH
let ans$=d$: endif : if ans$=T: let ans$=HH: endif
print at line,len(m$)+1;" : ";rv$;” ";ans$;" ";rv$; tab 80;
let ans$=lower(ans$)
endproc
proc heady; i$
rem clears screen and makes makes heading of i$
paper sp: els : paper hp: ink hi
print reptf ",240); at 1,1 ;i$;
paper sp: ink si: print at 4,0;
endproc
proc inp
rem inputs global variable ans$ in reverse screen color
print rv$;: input " ";ans$;" print rv$;
endproc
proc inpy;line,m$
rem prompts m$ at line and inputs (through inp) ans$
liny;line: print m$+" : ";:inp: let ans$=lower(ans$)
endproc
proc key_choice;i,i$fj$,k$,l$
rem prompts i$,j$,k$ at line i, accepts a single key input
rem if in 1$ list, if ke=1 need enter if ke=0 don’t
let ans$="": while not instr(l$,ans$) or len(ans$)<>1
print at i,0; tab 80; at i,0;i$;ke$;j$;" => ";k$;" : ";rv$;" ";
if ke: input ans$;: print " ";rv$;: let ans$=lower(ans$)
else : let ans$=lower(getkey())
if code(ans$)<32: if code(ans$)=2. let ans$=""
else : if code(ans$)=3: let ans$=""
else : if code(ans$)=4: let ans$="": else : if code(ans$)=5
let ans$="": else : let ans$="": endif : endif : endif : endif
endif : print ans$;" ";rv$;: endif
if not instr(!$,ans$) or len(ans$)>1: if ke
let ans$=" then <ENTER>”: else : let ans$="": endif
print at i,0;rv$; tab 80;
acky;i, "Press the SINGLE KEY for the desired action"+ans$
print rv$;: endif : endwhile
endproc
proc liny;line
rem clears line at line
if line: print at line,0;tab 80;: print at line, 1 ;: else : print :
endif
endproc
proc msg;line,m$
rem prints pausing message m$ at line
liny;line: print "{"+m$+"...}";
endproc
proc setup
rem sets needed initial values ** must be run first **
let rv$=chr(26) Met hp=3:let hi=1:let sp=5:let si=1
let ke = 1 Met ke$ = " KEY+ENTER "
endproc
proc yom;line,m$
rem prompts m$ at line returns y or n in ans$
let ans$="": while ans$<>"y" and ans$<>"n":liny;line
print m$+" [ y/n ] : ";:inp: let ans$=lower(ans$): endwhile
endproc
There is not much space for examples but try these :
mode 0 : setup<ENTER> always initialize setup first
yorn; 10, "Are you happy " : print at 18, 1;ans$<ENTER>
defy; 12, " Your favorite computer ", ”QL
print at 20, 1;ans$<ENTER>
key choice; 14,"", "Device", "Mdv Fip Ram eXit”,”dfrx"
.print at 22, 1;ans$<ENTER>
Notice that global variable ans$ is often used to hold the
procedure result Always run setup when using these
procedures to initialize needed global variables.
Until next time when we have more procedures to enter
and more extensive examples Happy Archiving!
36
EXTRA i
EXTRA I
THE LATEST
QL S CZOO F* I i I i
THE MIRACLE EROM MIRACLE - QXL i
Those of you who make it to the QL show on June 5, 1993.
at Newport, Rhode Island, will be among the first to see the
newest hardware advance for the QL from Miracle Systems, prominent
English hardware house run by Stuart Honeyball. For those who do
not, they will still have a chance to purchase this latest
technical advance from either Miracle Systems in Europe, or from
Mechanical Affinity in the Americas.
Just what is a QXL-Card? It is a PC Card that will work
on any IBM PC/XT or above computer and the clones of these
machines. This means that you can plug it into an IBM and with the
running of an IBM disk supplied with the card, run the QL board as
an application. This gives you a thoroughly updated QL compatible
machine. We are told that programs that run with the Gold Card
should run with the QXL. The operating system, SMSQ, which is a
derivative of SMS-2 is authored by Tony Tebby of QRAM, QPAC 1 & 2,
and Tool Kit 2 fame. It is said to be fully QDOS compatible. Also
on disk is SBASIC ( I assume this is X-BASIC, an improved and
compatible SuperBasic compatible interpreter).
The initial card will support only MODE 4 and MODE 8,
but later releases (perhaps finished by June) will support also
the improved PC graphics, such as EGA, VGA and perhaps SVGA. You
will need an EGA or VGA monitor on your IBM to use this card in
any case. This is great because to many people the only reason
they had ever left the QL was either graphics capability,
sophistication of software, or lack of a hard drive. Only those
who either fell prey to peer pressure or never really learned much
about the QL would otherwise have left it (my personal point of
view) for a machine as clumsy as the IBM in its native state.
The card can be purchased with from one to eight megs
of memory, runs at 20 MHz on a 68EC040 Processor ( which puts it
at about 5-8 times the speed of the Gold Card and 30+ times the
speed of the regular QL). It will have two standard working , QL
network ports, no microdrives and will be able to access the
serial ports, mouse, parallel port and hard and floppy drives of
the IBM. The price will vary with the amount of memory you wish on
the card, which can be bought with only one meg and upgraded by
you at anytime. US$ cost will run approximately from $400 to $675,
depending on the value of the English Pound.
Thanks on this data goes to IQLR, The RamTop (Chris
Fowler) and Stuart Honeyball of Miracle Systems.
3 9
QL to I B IVT Transfers
Since many of you own QLs and IBMs, or
have friends who own IBMs, you may need to
transfer documents between the two. There
are programs to do this, but certain
requirements must be met. The QL and IBM
must have the same size disk drives. They
also must be of the same density -- at
least the programs I tried from Quanta had
this requirement. I could never get the
two to match. Even after I bought a 360K,
5£" drive for the QL it garbled the docu¬
ment. Big pieces of the story would come
over fine, but the rest would either be
lost or put in the wrong position.
At this time I should have purchased
Discover or Multi Discover. I believed
either of these would have done the job,
but some doubted that they would work with
my Delta Disk I/F. (I still think they
would work, but the delay allowed me to
find another solution. )
Bob Gilder (in the Sept/Oct, ’92 Inter¬
national QL Report ) diagramed a serial
cable that was different than the one I
had made for my modem cable (which had
been diagramed in QLINK’s manual). It
used only six conductors, cross connecting
a 25 pin, male connector to a 9 pin, male
connector in the following manner:
25 Pin 9 Pin
#2 < - > #2 TXD
#3 < - > #3 RXD
#5 < - > #5 CTS
#6 < - > #9 DSR
#7 < - > #7 SG
#20 < - > #4 DTR
Since I worked as a data cabler (at the
time) there was no trouble finding 20’ of
twisted, 4-pair, scrap cable. We threw
away hundreds of feet a day. Radio Shack
had the connectors, so the total cost was
about $4.00 for the finished cable. (I
felt the hoods were unnecessary, since the
cable would only be used occasionally. ) I
really didn’t think it would work so I
didn’t want a big investment.
I already owned a null modem for the
IBM so I connected that to the 25 pin
connector. (This may not have been neces¬
sary if I had used the QL’s serl_ port,
instead of ser2_ -- I don’t know for
sure. ) Before I connected the computers I
exported one of my stories from a
QUI LL_DOC to ASCII, using X CHANGE ’ s EXPORT
feature and saved it to disk. I then
loaded QLINK into the QL and ProComm into
the IBM (both are shareware programs).
ProComm was then set to receive an XMODEM
transfer, then, moving across the room to
the QL, I began transmitting the document,
using the XMODEM protocol without CRC. I
was shocked when it worked the first time.
(I had intended to use XMODEM CRC, which I
thought would be compatible with ProComm ’s
XMODEM, later tests showed that this would
not work. ) I was definitely lucky.
I later found that by using TEXT87
PLUS4 I could save my stories as ASCII
text with only Line Feeds at the end of
each paragraph (XCHANGE’s ASCII option
exports text with Line Feeds and Carriage
Returns after each line). Then using
QLINK’s FILTER utility I could change
these Line Feeds (LFs) into Carriage
Return/Line Feed combinations. Once
transferred to the IBM these documents
could automatically be reformatted in any
way I wished using WordStar (since Word¬
Star’s basic format is a LF/CR combination
after each paragraph). This was an unex¬
pected bonus.
After transferring several stories from
the QL to the IBM, I decided to see how
effective this whole procedure could be.
Using Text87 Plus4, I copied a story to
itself until the QL’s memory ran out. It
turned out to be over 40,000 words (about
half the size of a "historical" novel). I
then Exported this document into an ASCII
file and changed the LF’s into LF/CR
combinations using QLINK. All the other
serial transfers had been done at 1200
baud, but I decided to try this one at
96,000. It took about 10 minutes to get
this document to the IBM and another 5
minutes to reformat the whole story into
double column, justified text.
I don’t know why everything went so
smoothly, but I’m not complaining. If
anyone would like more information about
the configuration of my computers, or help
in building a cable, let me know.
Ron Bliizard — POB 54 — Welser, ID 83672
40
13 Rodney Close
Button
Pu*by
CV22 7KJ
E«*i and (UK}
Update Maeazine P€ Box 1095
Peru
Indiana
USA 46970
23 2 1993
Dear User Croup
First of ail let me introduce myself. My name is Martyn Sherwood, and 1 run what is fast becoming the
leading British PO suppliers, and we are regularly advertised in the ‘Your Sinclair’ magazine.
Prism PO was set up 1 year ago, and we have a good following of regular customers and contacts. As you
will see from the list supplied, we cater for all Spectrurns and have an extensive range of titles on offer.
I have just read about the Timex-Sinclair computer in the new issue of ‘Sinclair User’, which gave your user
groups address. 1 am very interested in finding out a iittle bit more on the US market for this machine. If
there is a Spectrum emulator for the Timex in your group then perhaps it will be possible to arrange the
swopping of software, & vice versa if you have an emulator for us Speccy owners to run Timex software.
It was mentioned in Sinclair User, that the magazines’ American contact, Bob Shade who runs a photography
outfit in Philadelphia uses a Spectrum emulator on his Timex, so ! don’t see why this principle cannot be
reversed.
Prism PO is constantly in touch with the continental PD scene and receives new demos all the time from
GERMANY, POLAND and other European countries and 3re proving VERY popular, some of which improve the
Spectrum graphics!. We also have a bi-monthly magazine exclusive to dub members, so any info on the
history of the Timex etc would be appreciated.
We. look forward to hearing from you as Prism PD is cfetermined to be at the front of an international PD
exchange of software.
All the best for 93!
M*rtyn Shorwood
PLEASE READ ME: f f°r r* 12 Send *
! tape (not the cassette case J,
j m'drive cartridge, 3“ disk, -t-D 3.5 disk, with your
i name on, inside a jiffy bag which can be re-used
| by us. Orders paid by cash / postal orders sent in
| 6-7 days, or allow bank clearance 7-10 days
\ Delays of 3 or more weeks, will be due to system
1 failiure - rare but possible! If your order weighs
J more than lOOg then add 50p for P&-P. Please note
j underlined titles need the multiface 3. Orders
payable to MARTYN SHERWOOD.
|flm i t r ad i6ii/b64./612S / \
mwA&mim
Sinclair Spectrum' _
4.S/12S + 2 / 2fl/+ 3,
Prism PD , 13 Rodney Close ,
Billon, Rugby CU22 7HJ
UTILITIES BUSINESS & EDUCATION: Ui Print daisywheel pics, U2 User definable grids, U3 Print a LARGE poster, U4
Define a key routine, U5 Weekdays in 3 languages, U6 PD database - lacks SAVE/LOAD routine - (please help!), U7 Line
renumber routine, US Border colours, US Paper/tnk/Graphics demo, U10 ATTR.No. Ull Invert text effect, U12 Use your own
art loading screens, U13 Fun security system, U14 Scroller text effect, U15 Vary your INPUT position, U16 Hexlist, U1'7
Data Move (Microdnve), U18 Posh CLS, U19 Screen flash, U20 Peek, U21 Dec-hex, U22 Large text, U23 Menu, U24 Drop
shadow text effect, U25 Poke, U26 High score table, U27 Phone book, U28 Character set designer, U29 m/c Break, U30
Printer toolkit, U31 Cashflow accounts prog’, U32 (withdrawn, will replace with a WP soon), U33 Recover erased +D files,
U34 8yr Cal, U35 Perspective text effects, U36 Reflect text effects, U3? Grafix util, Lj38 Font 1, U39 Font 2, U40 to
Uu43 - Scroll up, Scroll down, Scroll left, Scroll right, U44 CAT tape files, U45 Disable the break key - 48K only, U46
64 printer aice, U47 Hide the screen display, U48 See hidden messages in games, U49 Zoom the screen for editing, U50
Check on free memory, U51 48K kegboard buffer, U52 Read kernpston joystick ports - 48K only, U53 Utilise 128K screen
animation, U54 Demo - needs U53, U55 Downtown, U56 ASCII edit, U57 Day convert, U58 Union Jack demo, U64 Tune
maker, U65 Music flash, U66 Sourtdz, U67 Minstrel music maker, U68 Minstrel 1, U69 Minstrel demo - needs minstrel 1,
U71 Sound sampler, U72 Vat prog', U73 Accounts prog’, U74 48K Toolkit, U75 Disassembler, U?8 Hexloader, U77 Icons
patterns 8c fonts, U78 Metric conversion, U80 Word spin, U81 Pattern show, U82 Fake NEW, U83 Unusual CLS, U84
Change the editor colours, U85 Print inlay cards, U86 Use pokes on the +D, LI87 48K Data typer - 48K only. U88 +D
Gauntlet 2 utility, U89 Maths equation solver, U90 Rotate 8c slant screen$, U91 +D system clock, U92 Spelling aid, U93
Test your morse code, U94 48K Soundsytem, U95 Morse code teacher. U96 Screen magnifyer, U97 Find any day in the
20thC, U98 Notebook,— U898 2A =+3 printer utility,— UiOO 48 8. +2 printer utility, U101 Comms p’-og’ 1 for VTXSQOO, U102
Comms 2, U103 +D snap menu screen, U104 +D adult jokes, U105 File copu/rename , U106 Turbo tools for programmers.
U107 The Sproq - Various commands (extensive), U108 ASCII viewer. U109 Extensive font editor. U110 Normal or heoderless
file viewer. Ulll 120 DTP fixer for the grey +2 - abort printing without losing text files, U112 Multidump 1, U113
Multidump 3, U114 Mousedraw routine, U115 Onerror - trap errors, U11G Catram 128, U117 ATTR 128, U118 PEN print
system, U119 Election stats, U120 Rem-maker, U121 Dubtex, U122
T ypeliner double fonts, U123 Typeliner graphic alphabets, U124
Headliner bug fix, U125 Deco fonts pack 1 - for typeliner, U126
Deco fonts 2, U127 Gamesaid - grid to design icons etc, U128
Continue routine, U129 Centre text routine, U130 Mouse routine,
U131 BASIC scroller, U132 Custom 48K NEW, U133 TASPEEK 2 -
Tasword file previewer, U134 Spreadsheet, U135 File Organiser,
U136 Renumber PPD, U137 Alpha data sort, U138 Inlay card design
3.7, U139 GEstats - history of elections 1950-92, U140 DEVAL -
remove hindering VAL statements, U141 Make REMS of any size,
U142 MENU 2 - new menus ROM style, U143 Streams - streams
menu style, U144 DUBTEX - mix double height 8c normal text in a
print statement, U145 BAscan - search basic listings for keywords
8c variable names etc 8c print them, U146 Clear-all! - remove files
Example of digitized Tv' picturei jn Wordmaster in one go - brill!, U147 "CP/M3" SPECIAL +3
Christine (Neighbours) COMPILATION PACK - includes drive ai formatter to 203K - 32
progs + CP/M utils as well! Send £2 + disk, U148 HEADREAD - tape
SPECIAL ART PACKSi NOT 3"disk . .. ... - - - .... — „
- header reader, U149 FILECOMPRESSOR (NOT *j), U150 48K Copier
1 Dear John, 2. Star Trek, 3. Cheers, 4. Cagney
9 (NOT +3), U151 Screen compressor, U152 128K file copier, U153
8c Lacey, 5. Shakespears Sister, 6. Bananarama, ...r „ ~ ,.,~T on
a r ’ MAD 2 MONITOR (NOT +3), U154 Edit Sampler - demo file (NOT +3),
7. Duran Duran, 8 Ultravox, 9. Neighbours, 10. 111CC _ .. T . , „ . . u , , , ,
| U155 Gemous Mouse Tester (+3 only), U156 histogram charts (+3
Eastenders, 11. Pet jhop oys j oniyj_ U157 Line Graph charts (+3 only), U158 +3 disk editor,
SPECTRUM SHAREWARE! | forrnatter, etc.
i SPECIAL ART PACKS. NOT 3"disk
* 1 Dear John, 2. Star Trek, 3. Cheers, 4. Cagney
i 8c Lacey, 5. Shakespears Sister, 6. Bananarama,
| 7. Duran Duran, 8 Ultravox, 9. Neighbours, 10.
j Eastenders, 11. Pet Shop Boys
: SPECTRUM SHAREWARE.
SW1 - MULTISTORE - store 7K in your multiface
1 SW2 PAGE SYSTEM WORD PROCESSOR - also acts
as a database.
PROGRAMMERS NEEDED!
PRISM PD! - INCORPORATING TOTAL PD!
G1 - Neliu 128 - Catch the falling Elephants- / G2 Batnball - An addictive 1 or 2 player game / G3 - DT’s L8cR - Try
and get the highest score! / G4 - Alienatta - Defend your ship against the aliens / G5 - Cacapture - Excellent 2 player
stratergy game / G6 - Brickbat - Colourfull - test year reflexes! / G7 Magicfore - A game that uses logic - are you up
to it? / G3 MartianKO - Left, right, aim - and blast away! / G9 SincC5 - Run over the pedestrians in your C5! / G10 -
Skittles - How many can you knock down? / Gil - Cypher - Great PD version of the Mastermind game / G12 - Voyerger -
A blast of a PD game / G13 - Nelly - 48K version of the classic arcade game / G14 - Manblits - Bomb the Manhattan
skyline! / G15 - Frogger - Very colourfull and quick version of a classic! / G18 - Galaxydef - PD Space Invaders on your
Spectrum J G17 - Basicbing - Play Bingo to win! / G18 - Invaders - A great game in true Invaders style / G19 - Fishing
- It was this long . !!! / G20 - Minefield - Rescue the soldiers - watch out for the mines! J G21 - Spotlight - Avoid
being seen at all costs / G22 - German - A German spelling game - good fun! / G23 - French - Another spelling game /
G24 - Rider - Jump the buses like Evil Kenieval! / G25 - Magic Square - A sliding puzzle game. ....a delight / G26 -
Solitair - Computer version of the board game J G2? - House - Dare you enter?!! / G28 Globular Troubles - our best
game - commercial standard! / G29 Maze - can you escape? / G30 Mission Collision - great space blaster
Digitize your loved ones!! Send a colour
photograph (landscape format). Alternatively,
using a video digitizer, we can save pictures
directly from a video cassette (VHS). Indicate
if you want the pictures saved on tape or
disk or printed out. £5
We can also scan artwork, text etc. £3 per
scan.
Desk Top Publishingi letterheads, logos,
business cards. £6 per layout + print.
GAME POSTERS
We can supply '
posters depicting
your favourite
game, £299 each.
SAE for our list.
There are 40 to
choose from, on
glossy A4 paper.
Price includes
P&P! New
posters can be
arranged
TERMINATOR "2
m
■ '' '
C.vV \ M
■ . , " > r
GRAPHIC AND MUSIC DEMOS
+3 users laad vis tape/ +0
Posters exclusive to club members
EXAMPLE OF OUR CUP ART!
D1 Madonna, D2 Adamski, D3 Technotronic, D4 Turkey, D5 Weird, D6 Grand
I Prix, D7 Pepperami (•), D8 Axel F (*), D9 MQM, DIO Shock-Megademo, Dll
j Grafix 1 (*), D12 Spectec 3 (*), D13 Court D14 PetShop Boys. D15 Bart
i Simpson 1 (*), D16 3D Show, D17 Nightfire (•), D18 Vectors, D19 Lyra II (*),
j D20 Vidi ZX Party (•), D21 Scyg In Lines 5 (*), D22 Quinquagesima, D23
128K Only Screen (*), D24 Scrolly Star (•), D25 Demos, D26 Scanner, D27
wicked, D28 Megademo (»), D29 Red Sector (•), D30 Nanodemo, D31 Signal 3
I (•), D32 Hypersonic 2 Preview (»), D33 EEL, D34 Ghaza 1, D35 Slideshow
I (NOT +3), D36 Overscan (NOT +3), D37 Hypersonic 48K (•), D38 Prisoner,
D39 Zaphod 2 (NOT +3), D40 NMI 1 (•), D41 NMI 2 (•), D42 CIR demo, D43
NMI 3 (•), D44 NMI 3 NOTE (•), D45 Madhouse (NOT+3), D46 Spirits, D47
LSD (NOT+3), D48 Hypersonic 2 (*), D49 MQM 2, D50 Madness Remix, D51
TerniMADor (over 18’s only), D52 CD Demo, D53 Interlace, D54 Crazy Demo,
! D55 Voyerger Demo (*), D56 Border Scroll (*), D57 Rave Demo (+D ONLY),
< - 1
Join our club for £3.50 for 1 yrs membership and receive our club magazine for £1.50 per issue. It contains help on m/c,
basic, a techie page, programming in V, discounts on our software, technical problems solved, pokes, tips, type-ins, news from
me world of PD, reviews on PD 8c commercial software + hardware. "EVERY FANZINE YOU’LL EVER NEED!".
PRwGS
Professional & Graphical Software
DAT Adesign
Haachtstraat 92
3020 Veltem
Belgium
(016) 48 89 52
[Slew version, many improvements
Files can l>e disk baaed, so no problem wi tb large 111 es
Fully multi-user, several jobs can safely manipulate ike same fib
Multiple lines in a field and no limit on record length
Can bold any kind of data, text, numbers, but also screens etc. if you want
Indexes are implemented for fast searching on sorted files
You can convert Archive and FlashBack files to OAT Adesign
DAT Adesign is so good that QLAW uses it to produce its report
Or Bhatti comments "it provides the speed and flexibility I needed for such a large database"
DAT Adesign is available in two parts
DAT Adesign <m*Jnp"*r*n,)
Powerfull user interface for DAT Adesign
Can be used for all input, and to view any DAT Adesign file
You can select which field you want to view and in which order
Fully controlled with the Pointer Environment and Menu Extensions
DAT Adesign API
(Application Programming Interface)
BEF 3000 (approx 60 pounds)
Programming manual for DAT Adesign with examples, you need DAT Adesign for this
Program DAT Adesign in a language you already know: SuperB ASIC, C, Assembler
One of the most flexible SuperB ASIC and thing interfaces around
WIicb programming, DAT Adesign turns into a fully relational database
BEF 1000 (app rox 20 pounds)
Prices:
DAT Adesign BEF 3000 DAT Adesign API BEF 1000
Wken ordering by phone, please beep your credit card ready (VISA only).
When ordering by mail, please state your credit card (VISA) details or include a Eurocheque
payable in BEF to PROGS or Van der Auwera. Eurocheques in BEF only please (blaim the hank).
T ransfer to our postal account ( 000-1612119-76) also accepted.
This page was produced using LINEdesign by PROGS on a Sinclair QL with HP Deshjet
WHAT ' S NEW EOF* THE QL fc>y E . F* . Wannum
Having just got back from New York, from a Mental Health
Conference, I decided to rest up by reviewing, at least briefly,
some of the new software and hardware I have picked up the last
three months. There is so much new stuff coming out these days
that it makes a poets heart want to sing. Alas to that matter as
I have not yet talked Carol and Frank into allowing some of my
poetry to grace these learned pages.
First of all, I let Frank talk me into replacing the 8049
chip in my QL with a HERMES chip. I had on occasion had some
keyboard bounce. It is just plain not there anymore. I had tried
another anti-bounce chip about three years ago, but never liked
the feel of it. This time it was different. That was only the
first improvement I noticed. Many of you will remember the
Freeware MDV that Frank Toemay of Quantum Computing gave away to
customers? A rather good graphics display, but super annoying on
the sound, and I never found out how to turn down the sound or
just plain turn it off. I still cannot turn it off, but with the
HERMES, the sound has softened. It makes the sound capability on
the QL closer to that we found on the Spectrum. Thanks to
who ever came up with that idea. The next thing Frank had me try
out was using my modem, at 300 baud, without a Modapter.
It worked! No dropped characters. I borrowed a high speed modem
that ran at 9,600 baud, and used it with QualSoft Terminal (I
will get around to more on that shortly) and experienced no
problems what ever. I am told by the manual that it is good upto
19,000 baud. Now all I need is for someone to invent a fax
machine and software for my QL so that I can take full advantage
of this capability. The HERMES can do 19,200 baud.
What can I say bad about the Hermes chip? Nothing. I can
however say a bit about what it is supposed to be capable of
that I have not had a chance to try out. When the latest version
of MINERVA is finally released (1.96 or above) it is supposed to
allow you to multi-task out of each of the two serial ports. As
it is, even without that, I found out that for the first time I
can set both of my serial ports at different baud rates. I can
now have my Serial Mouse running at 1200 baud and my printer
running at 9600 baud. I can also do the same with a high
speed modem and printer. Nice, huh? It is supposed to also do
away with INT7 problems that the QL had, but that is something I
was unaware of so can not comment on. When someone tells
me just what the INT7 problem was, or just how serious it was, I
will try to remember to let you know. Basically, I feel that
outside of a Gold Card, the Minerva and Hermes combination is
the best hardware upgrade for the QL available at this time.
Both of these are available from TF Services in the UK, and from
Mechanical Affinity in this hemisphere. I paid out $43 for
the HERMES and $62 for the latest MK1 Minerva from them.
I spoke about the Serial Mouse software. I saw in a club
newsletter recently where someone tried just plugging in an IBM
mouse and loading software and assumed it did not work.
Whoa, a minute, if I got that all right. You can not just load
and insert the mouse. Read all of the directions. You have to
rewire or make a little set of jumpers for the serial port in
order to use the IBM mouse. They are not pin compatible. And if
you are using an American QL, then you need to use the German
45
wiring setup. If you use the English wiring it will not work.
Also pay close attention and load the German version of the
software so that the wiring and code match up. Last of all pay
close attention to what is said about the Microsoft mouse and
all will work. I hope this helps. The best thing to do from the
start is to avoid the Microsoft mice and stick with a plain old
generic serial IBM compatible mouse.
I spend a lot of time traveling as a psychologist, and am
home so seldom I have not bothered to have a home phone, only at
the office. This kept me away from using a modem at home for
quite some time. At times for work I have had to use a modem or
a terminal in my line of work. Years ago I used a 2050 with
MTERM2 on my TS2068, and Commodore modem on an old VIC-20, but
not for some time. I had gotten a little rusty. I had decided
that I now needed a modem and the appropriate software to
allow me to make good use of my HERMES and MINERVA, so I
called up a friend who loaned me copies of QCODE MD V5 . 1 and
QLTERM 2.0. I tried out both, and while I did find that both
were quite adequate for home use to friends and local bulletin
boards, neither was full featured enough for my uses on the road,
or for use with a large university (Indiana University) or
government medical database. So, I called up Frank Davis, of
Mechanical Affinity, and told him to send me the best terminal
program he could get for the QL. In return for $45 he sent me
a copy of QuaLsoft QL Terminal. It is advertised as a Viewdata
and Scrolling Terminal emulator for the Sinclair QL, quite a
mouthful .
It came in a nice binder, in a 3 1/2 disk, with a nice
looking user manual. The print was just a wee bit smaller than I
would have liked in the manual, but clear enough to read. In the
U.K. this program can be purchased from TF Services, and in
North America it is available from Mechanical Affinity. Once you
are somewhat familiar with the program, the manual may not be
all that necessary, as the program has on line help built into
the program. That is a plus point.
The program supports Hayes compatible modems, those that use
the Modaptor from Miracle, Tandata Qconnect, Astracom, Astracom
Hayes, auto-dial modems, manual dial modems. Miracle QL Modem,
and others if you know how to set the correct settings. You can
(for autodial modems) keep a list of dialing services or friends
that you commonly contact. It is set up to handle from 75 to
9600 baud and can handle split baud rates, such as 1200/75. That
is not a feature needed much here in North America these days
(split baud rates).
The program can multi-task with QRAM, QPAC2 , or Taskmaster.
I am not sure about QTOP or Qkick, as I only know about these
programs, but have not seen or used them. The menu of the
program allows you to customize it if you will be multi-tasking.
It has a built in simple text editor, which can be of great help
when dealing with e-mail. Terminal emulations include Prestel ,
VT52 , VT100 , ANSI.
You can do a dump of screens to a printer or to disk or MDV.
You can also upload or download files, programs, etc. When
uploading or downloading the program allows for a buffer of upto
16K, as your memory allows. Xmodem is of course included in
this part of the program.
The program is the best I have seen for the QL, but the
manual is not the best organized. The manual has all the data
there, just not in a logical manner. Still a good buy.
Z 88
Appendix D - Glossary of terms
Application - A program set up according to the appropriate machine conventions.
Bank - 16K chunk of memory, always on a 16K boundary in the logical address space.
Binding - this refers to switching a bank to a segment or to switching a file device to an
particular stream with the CLL
BLINK - the name given to the Z88's gate array chip. The chip handles the screen,
serial port, keyboard, memory switching, imerupts etc.
Card Manager - this refers to the code which deals with inserting and removing ROM
cards. The basic rules are that aU interchange should be done from the Index and that
the machine is switched ON. If an application is using a ROM card then the card’s slot
is displayed in the next to the application name in the Index window. RAM cards can
only be inserted, never removed EPROMs can be inserted and removed at most times,
but obviously not while the Filer is actively reading or writing slot 3.
CLI - Command Line Interpreter. This is used to simulate the keyboard and to rebind
streams.
Director - synonym for Index' (the name used for it while much of the code was being
written, hence 'dc' calls not *ic' calls).
DOR - node in tree structure used in applications and the RAM filing system.
Explicit Filenames - a filename which includes the device and root directories. For
example "queries.pip" might become ":RAM.l /office. dir/queries. pip"
Extension - up to three letters after the filename, usually used to classify the file. eg.
you might add .pip to all your PipeDream files to aid identification.
Filter - conceptual ’object’ (actually a set of routines) which perform
transformations in a byte sequence. Also see Printer Filter.
Handle - A handle is a 16 bit value, usually returned in IX, used in file-like operations
(eg. files, filters etc.) to direct input and output For example, a handle is returned when
a file is opened and is subsequently used whenever the file is accessed. A file can have
several with it and attributes like the sequential pointer into a file are
associated with each handle and not with the file itself. There are a finite number of
handles in the machine, initially around 100, and the current number available is
reflected in the high word of the sequential pointer associated with a handle value of -1.
(In BASIC PTR#-1.)
Logical address - Address which the Z80 CPU ’sees', ie. a standard 16-bit Z80
address. See also Physical address.
MOS - machine operating system. Also referred to as OZ.
Page - 256 byte chunk of memory, on a 256-byte boundary. This is the basic unit of
memory on which the allocation routines operate.
Physical address - 24-byte address referring to an actual memory location (only 22 bits
are significant, giving an addressing range of 4Mb).
4 7
Pre-emption - The suspension of a process, normally prior to the main body of a
system call. See also Logical address.
Printer Filter - This is a filter controlled by the Printer Editor. It allows applications to
use special printing effects by specifying filter codes and letting the filter generate codes
appropriate to the printer actually in use.
Process- A particular instantiation of a program (normally an application).
Segment -
1) One of the four 16K portions of the logical memory map.
2) One of the portions of a filename separated by ’/, ie. a file or a directory name.
Slot -
1) One of the three physical holes in the front of the machine, which can accept a RAM,
EPROM or ROM card. The internal memory of the machine is thought of as Slot 0.
2) The transmission frame for a character of data in the serial system, ie. the byte to be
transmitted plus appropraiate start and stop bits.
3) Concept used in PipeDream. Roughly approximates to a spreadsheet cell.
Stream - This is a communication channel with an associated handle.
Appendix F - Hardware Connections
The Z88 connects to external electrical devices by using the serial port, the card slots at
thc ^DR{ Qf ^ machine and via the expansion port (situated below the ENTER key on
the right hand side of the machine). Note that in some models of the Z88 the expansion
port does not have a removable plastic cover and on these machine the expansion port
edge connector is not gold plated. In the following descriptions signals postfixed by a
bold L are active low signals.
The Serial Port
1 -
unswitched +5v at 10 uA
2 TxD
transmit data
3 RxD
receive data
4 RTS
ready to send
5CTS
clear to send
6-
7 GND
reserved for future use
8 DCD
data carrier detect
9 DTR
switched +5v at 1mA
output
output
input
output
input
input
output
Note: DTR is high when the machine is awake. The machine is always awake when
the screen is active, but even if asleep the machine will wake every minute or so to carry
out various housekeeping tasks, such as checking for alarms, and at these time DTR
will go high. Pin 1 will show a signal if there is power available to the machine.
4 8
Z58MacLink Review
by Dave Bennett
I bought a Macintosh Classic in
late 1991 to supplement my Sinclair
collection of computers. Quite a few
Mac to 288 programs were uploaded in
the GEnie Laptops Roundtable by their
author Richard Haw. So I decided to
buy a Mac and try them out. I also
chose a Mac for ease of configuration
compared to MSDOS or Windows.
I purchased Z88MacLink at last
Summer's Computer fest in Dayton,
Ohio. I had been using and continue
to use terminal emulators on each
machine to transfer files.
Z88MacLink consists of a Rom which
goes in one of the 288 1 s three slots.
There is a serial cable which
connects from the Z88 ' s serial port
to the Macintosh's modem port. The
package also contains a floppy disk
with the Macintosh ZSSMacLmk
Appl i cat ion.
The package is easy to use. Connect
the serial cable. Choose Link from
the Z88 1 s main menu or press 11 L. On
the Macintosh double click with the
mouse on the 288MacL ink Icon.
Now all operations are done from
the Macintosh. You are presented with
a window called Transfer. This
contains two windows containing lists
of files. All transfers are done from
tine left window to the right. You
select from directories,
subdirectories and Mac folders in the
usual Mac fashion by double clicking
on folders or selecting different
levels of files from the menu on top
of each window. If you want to change
the direction of transfer click on
the Drive button under each window.
You can see all your Z88 files. The
Z88 acts like another Mac disk drive
albeit a very slow one.
The program also provides file
conversion. You can convert between
Pipedream and MacWrite word
processing files. You can convert-
bet ween Pipedream and Lotus WKS
spreadsheet files. These formats were
chosen because most Mac applications
can read these files.
And you can convert between Z88 BBC
Basic and Macintosh BBC Basic. You
would have to purchase Macintosh BBC
Basic probably from England.
There is a No Conversion option
useful for transferring Ascii text
files or for storing Basic files on
the Macintosh Hard Disk. Ascii text
on the Z88 and the Macintosh is
exactly the same unlike some other
computers . The Z88 and the Mac both
use a Carriage Return for an End of
Line character.
Pipedream to MacWrite conversions
work fine in both directions.
Although you can't- transfer complex
MacWrite files. Such as ones with
large font sizes or graphics.
I could not get Pipedream - WKS
files to transfer. I am using
Microsoft Works 3.0. I can save in a
WKS format. Then Z88MacLink does not
recognize the file. It does not
appear in the window. In the other
direction Works- can't translate the
WKS file which was converted from
Pipedream. Perhaps a different Mac
spreadsheet would work better.
Z88MacLink is a very nice program.
However I still use Terminal
Emulators with XModem to transfer
some files. The terminal programs
transfer files much fastei' than
ZSSMacLmk. Most of the time I will
use ZSSMacLmk because it- has a
better user interface and it can
transfer more than one file at a
time. But- if' I have a larger file to
transfer I will use the Terminal
programs. I use ZCP on the Z88 and
ZTerm on the Mac. ZTerm is a
different program than the program
with the same name for the Z88.
Overall I like the program very
much despite the problems I
mentioned. It- is kind of neat working
with your Z88 files in this program,
Z88 to Mac Files Available
All of these programs are available
on GEnie or from myself upon request.
They are all written by Richard Haw.
ZX is a Mac to Import-Export transfer
program. Z- Image enables the Z88 to
display Mac graphics. ZHyper enables
the Z88 to interface with the Mac
HyperCard program. Mr. Haw also wrote
the ZCP communications program and
the ZFU file archiving program.
Z88 to Mac Cable
ZM . QB9
TK 2 -
RK 3
CTS 5
GHD 7 “
DCD 8 -
DTR 9 -
flflClHTQSH fllni Din 8
- 5 Receive data -
— - 3 Transmit data -
- 1 Handshake out
4 GHD Signal ground
- 1 Handshake out
2 Handshake in
MECHANICAL AFFINITY for the Z88
Need something for your Z88, or don't have time to make
your own cable, then contact us for the following:
Soft carrying case for the Z88 for only $10.
128K RAM EXPANSION for the Z88, only $50.
512K Ram EXPANSION for the Z88, only $165.
Z88 to MAC CABLES for $10.
MACLINK EPROM CARTRIDGE , software and Cable only $55.
5 0
Q l UPDATE ISSUE DISKS
These disks contain at least one major piece of software written
specifically for disk drive and are guaranteed to be worth the
money. The rest of the disks are filled with various utility
programs taken from the issues of UPDATE and a few surprises
thrown in. Half of the money goes to the author and is meant to
encourage new programs for the QL . Some of the programs take
advantage of Tool Kit 2 by Tony Tebby. All are 20.00, except
QLuster, which is $15.00; includes P & H, add $1.00
CAN. Available as 3 1/2 or 5 1/4 disks. Add $5.00 for mailing to
other countries. We accept personal checks, company checks,
money orders as well as International Postal Money Orders, but
no charge cards. If ordering on MDV, then please include one
that is already formatted, so we will know it will run on your
QL . Due to the expense of MDVs this is necessary. If two MDVs
are required we will state so in the ad.
1) HARTUNG UTILITY ISSUE DISK- Several excellent programs such
as stand alone data base. Address, and QSO files. All are in
Superbasic. Lots of hints and tricks for programmers. Requires
some knowledge of Superbasic or a yen to learn. Recently updated
by Bob Hartung. Address file can be used as inventory program.
It can print out labels. Both screen or paper printouts can be
by Alpha sort, or be by last name.
2) CABLE ARCHIVE ISSUE DISK- Contains six Archive programs along
with Doc files to get you going on making use of the Archive
programming language. Also has Tasket, plus Doc file, to give
you multi-tasking on your QL (much cheaper than QRAM or
Taskmaster). Included is Arithmetic, a Superbasic program for
math, along with math drills. This is for both the advanced and
beginner user and greatly extends the use of Archive. To order
on microdrive send two formatted microdrives, too much for one!
3) QLUSTER ISSUE DISK by A1 Feng- Q1 utilities to unclutter your
disks and microdrives. COPY, DELETE, FORMAT, PRINT, VIEW, plus
extended use of some Tool Kit 2 commands. TK2 is required. These
are TURBO compiled for speed. Multitasks and uses minimal key
presses. Includes Fast-Disk and Vegemat2, a super clone making
program. Also Snap Shot-a directory column or condensed printout
program.
4) DOS EMULATOR COMPANION ISSUE DISK by A1 Feng- Just released
in Oct. issue. Makes better use of Solution, PC Conqueror,
Discover, XOVER, QLuster and scr_codes. If you are going to use
the emulators, then check this out, you won't regret this buy.
5) QLuMSi DOS by A1 Feng- a MSDOS simulator and front end
program for the QL, also includes other programs by AL Feng for
file management and cloning of programs. A Great Learning Tool
6) QL COMPENDIOM- a three disk collection of utilities for the
QL, taken from the various short programs in UPDATE, plus file
compression, decompression, E_Forth for the QL, C utilities such
as FLEX and YACC. All for only $20.00 NEW THIS ISSUE!
UPDATE COMPUTER SYSTEMS invites you to submit software programs
that may become Issue Disks. Please submit program on disk, with
documentation and article to accompany the program. We are here
to get North American software available and known.
TS2068 UPDATE ISSUE DISKS
These disks contain at least one major piece of software written
specifically for disk drive and are guaranteed to be worth the
money. The rest of the disks are filled with various utility
programs taken from the issues of UPDATE and a few surprises
thrown in. Half of the money goes to the author and is meant to
encourage new programming for the TS2068 that makes use of the
various disk drive systems. All are $20.00 per disk (add $1.00
Canada) except where noted in the listing. Postage and handling
is included. Both 3 1/2 and 5 1/4, 40 and 80 track available.
Please add $5.00 for mailing to other countries. We accept
personal checks, company checks, money orders. No charge cards
please .
1) NEW! PAYROLL by Jim Bretz. Payroll record program for
employers, for the harken System. Allows for accurate processing
and use of employee earnings and tax records, etc.
2) Bob Kartung DOSDEX UTILITY ISSUE DISK, a complete disk
management group o t programs for the Oliger Interface only. This
includes Multi -Manager for file handling. This collection has
recently been updated and expanded.
3) MAIL MERGE ISSUE DISK, Oct 87 and Jan 88 issues of UPDATE
utilities added to fill out this disk. Includes a tutor program
for the Mail Merge program. List Looker, Purity, J-Utilities and
Extra Memory Utilities. Darken, Oliger and Aerco versions.
4) W’XDJUP'S CAD PROOF AM., this will give you professional results
from your 7S2068 for computer aided design. Authored by William
J. Pedersen perhaps the NO . I authority on the inner workings of
the TS2068 This program can be used to create user friendly
printed circuit boards, computer art or desktop publishing files
It does not need expanded memory cartridges and is available in
four versions: (a) Oliger for either IBM compatible printers or
for the Olivetti Ink Jet. (b) Larken for IBM compatible printers
or the Olivetti Ink Jet printer. Please specify version.
5) OLIGER DISK DRIVE BBS PROGRAM, this allows users of the
Oliger interface to be able to operate a disk based bulletin
board from the TS2068. The disk is also filled with many other
Oliger disk routines and tips on using the Oliger System.
Written by Paul Holmgren. Can use upto four DSQD disk drives.
6 ) The HYBISCUS ENSEMBLE, consisting of two separate, but
complimentary sets of programs. A) Daisy. B6 Ensemble, and B)
Udbm.B6 Ensemble. LKDOS only, $22 each or $36 for both. The best
file and database available for Larken, by Bill Jones. The price
remains the same on this one, no change. Wordprocessor included.
7) TS2068 Super Calc by Bill Jones. Available in both Larken and
Oliger formats. Handles loans, amortization, savings and fixed
investments, plus a calculator and all for only $15.
UPDATE COMPUTER SYSTEMS invites you to submit software programs
that may become Issue Disks. Please submit program on disk, with
documentation and article to accompany the program. Our goal is
to get North American software available and known. We also
solicit minor programs, tips and utilities for print.
Live Music
Archive
Librivox
Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland
Museum of Art
Internet
Arcade
Console Living Room
Open Library
American
Libraries
TV News
Understanding
9/11